The Penn's Grove record., 1908-08-14
Fasting in Wilderness Necessary!

Fasting in Wilderness Necessary
So long as the Republican party re-
mains in power, 1t Is pOwerless to re-
generate itself. 1t can not attack
wrong-doing in high places without dis
gracing many Of Its prominent mem
bers, and II, therefore. uses opiates In
stead of the surgeons knife. Its male
factors construe each Republican vic
tory as an endorsement of their on
duct and threaten the party with de-
feat If they are interfered with. Not
until that party passes through q Pc
Rod Of fasting In the wilderness, will
the Republican leaders learn to study
public questions from the standpoint
of the masses. Just al with individ-
uals, "the cares Of this world and the
deceitfulness Of riches choke the TRUTH"
SO In politics, when party leaders serve
far away from home and are not In
constant contact with the voters, con-
tinued party success blinds their eyes
to the needs Of the people and makes
them deaf to the cry Of distress.
Publicity as 20 Campaign contribu-
0tt
An effort has been made to secure
legislation requiring publicity as to
campaign contributions and eXpendi-
lures; but the Republican leaders, even
in the face Of an indignant public, re-
fused to consent to a law which would
compel honesty in elections. When the
matter was brought up in the recent
Republican national convention, the
plank was repudiated by a vote of $50
to Oh. Here, too, Mr.. Taft has been
driven to apologize for his convention
and to declare himself In favor of q
publicity law; and yet, If you will read
what he says upon this subject, you
will find that his promise falls far short
Of the requirements Of the situation.
He says:
eff I am elected president, I shall
urge upon congress, with every hope Of
success, that a law be passed requiring
the filing, In a federal Office, of a state
committees and candidates in elections
for members of congress, and In such
other elections as are constitutionally
within the control Of congress-"
I shall not embarrass him by asking
him upon what he bases his hope Of
success; it is certainly not on any en-
enlargement he has received from Re-
publican leaders. 1t Is sufficient to say
that If his hopes were realized-if, in
spite Of the adverse action of his on
vention, he should succeed In securing
the enactment Of the very law which
he favors, 1t would give but partial re-
lief. He has read che Democratic plat
form; not only his language, but his
evident alarm indicates that he has
read 1t carefully. He even had before
him the action Of the Democratic ma.
tional committee In Interpreting and
applying that platform; and yet, he
fails to say that he favors the publica-
ton Of the contributions before the
election. OF course, 1t satisfies a nat
ural curiosity to find out how an cleo
ton has been purchased, even when
the knowledge comes too late to be Of
service, but why should the people be
kept in darkness until the election is
past2 Why should the locking Of the
door be delayed until the horse is gone?
An Election a Public Affair.
An election is a public affair. The
people, exercising the right to select
their officials and to decide upon the
policies to be pursued, proceed to their
several polling places on. election day
and register their will. What excuse
can be given for secrecy as to the in
fuences at work. If a man, pecun-
iarily interested in concentrating the
control of the railroads in one manage
ment," subscribes a large sum to aid In
carrying the election, why should his
part in the campaign be concealed un-
til he has put the officials under obi
cation to him? If a trust magnate
contributes 100000 to elect political
friends to office, with a view to pre-
venting hostile legislation, why should
that fact be concealed until his friends
are securely seated In their official po-
sitions2
This is not q new question; It is q
question which has been agitated-a
question which the Republican leaders
fully underestimate question which the
Republican candidate has studied, and
yet he refuses to declare himself in ia
vor Of the legislation absolutely neces-
sary, namely, legislation requiring pub
lication before the election.
Democratic Party Promises Publicity.
How can the people hope to rule, If
they are not able to learn until after
the election what the predatory inter
ests are doingf The Democratic party
meets the issue honestly and coura-
geously. 1t says;
1--WE pledge the Democratic party to
the enactment of a law prohibiting any
corporation from contributing to a
campaign fund, and any individual
from contributing an amount above a
reasonable maximum, and providing
for the publication, before election, Of
all such contributions above q reason
able minimum"
The Democratic national committee
Immediately proceeded to interpret and
apply this plank, announcing that no
contributions would be received from
corporations, that no individual would
be allowed to contribute more than
$4,000, and that all contributions
above 500 would be made public be-
fore the electiOn-those received before
October 16 to be made public on or
before that day, those received after
ward to be made public on the day
when received, and no such contribu-
tons to be accepted within three days
Of the election. The expenditures are
to be published after election. Here
is a plan which is complete and effec-
tive.