The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-09-29
BRYAN WRITES PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT
AN0THEk LETTER, in WHICH HE ASKS
FOR SOME ADDITIONAL, INFORMATION

ceived would be returned as soon 4,
we received knowledge Of the fact.
now remind you that your convention
deliberately rejected by a vote OF /!
to ], the plank favoring publicity a,
to campaign contributions. MI. TAT
has repudiated the action Of the con
lvention and rebuked the members 8,
the convention by declaring himself Il
favor Of a publicity law, but he favor
publicity after the election, while We
favor publicity before the election
Whlch do you regard as the better
plan-to let the people know before
the election what Influences are Al
work, or to let them know after the
election?
Are you willing to q that any
public interest was served In 1904 by
E~concealing any Of the election con.
tnbutions made to the Republicans
campaign committee by Mr.. Hartman
and those collected from others? Are
you willing to say that the publica.
ton before the election Of the con.
Etrtbuttons then made would have had
no effect on the election? AS I haye
said, we shall publish the names a.
the contributors above one hundred
dollars. Will you ask your nationai
committee to publish before the elec.
ton the contributions over one hun
dred dollars? Or, II you regard this
e. TOO small g sum, the contributions
above 2 thousand dollars; Or, ii this
!is also too small, the contributions
above ten thousand dollars? II not.
Wnat reason can you give to the pub
l1c Tor not doing 50; / insist that our
Willingness to let the public know the
sources from which we receive con
trtbutions raises q presumption ia our
favor that must be overcome before
you can ask the people to accept your
statement that the law-defying corno.
rations have nor to fear from Repub-
ltcan success than from a Democratic
victory.
In conclusion, you say that you ask
support for Mr.. Taft. because ha
for the moral uplifting Of the
nation, because his deeds have made
good his words, and because the poli.
cies to which he is committed is Of
unreasonable consequence alike to the
honor and the interests Of the whole
American people, / dare to compare
my efforts for the moral uplifting q
nation with his efforts. my deeds
with his deeds, and the policies toll
me ! am committed with the poll
cles to which he is committed. and
more tina that, II I may assume that|
ne Will follow in your footsteps, I dare
compare my ideal Of the presidency
With his. do not regard 1t as proper
II me president to use his prestige.
MS influence. or his patronage to and
me member of his party as against
another who aspires to office. anal
regard 1t as a violation Of the oblfga-
Ion that the president owes to the
people to use an Office that be-
ongs to the whole people as q party
for the advancement Of a per
onal friend and a political protege.
believing that the president should not
tempted to use that power for hisI
'Wn advantage-and 1t Is equally re-
,ugnant to the spirit Of our institu-
Q that he could use. it for any
me else's advantage tried to s~ecurel
q amendment to the constitution lin.
ting the president to q single term
md I have announced through three
that II elected / would notI
NNAN0t0 AVl EXPERIMENTATION. III
'elieve the occupant Of 80 high anil
flee, with such enormous bower al
is command, should be absolutely
rec to devote himself unselhshly tol..
Us country's welfare. and I am san.
utne enough to believe that II en-.
rusted with power I would be able to
make my administration SO successful
nat the members Of my party could.
'ithout interference from me. select .
ne = most worthy to carry on the
'ork begun by me--so successfully .
the administration would sneak J
itself. and that it would not be !
ecessary for me to defend it in bulle. ,
MS OF pronuncementos. / think :
ould In this way give to the members
the opposite party, as well as to- :
le members Of my own party. 4
quare deal.' I
Very truly yours. =
~ WIT n n A nE. TEVANAYrNyc~ i u