The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-07-10
AFRAID OF THE TRUTH,
THE LIGHT, The PEOPLE
An indictment OF the Republican Party
That is Borne Out by it's Own
Action.

! taken COUNCIL I'll llN l'uTS.
In rejecting, by II vote Of OH to
G3-nearly u to the plank provid-
ing for the physical valuation Of
railroads, the Republican party ad-
mits that it is afraid OF the truth.
| What objection can there he to find
| ing out what the railroads are ac-
ually worth? If they are over
capitalized, the country ought To
know it; il they are not over-capi-
tali2ed, the railroads themselves
ought to he glad to have the fact
annonced. So long as the truth Is
concealed, there will be exaggera-
ton on both sides-thOse who lean
to the side Of the railroads denying
that there Is Over-capitalization and
those who demand rate reduction in
sisting that the ovcr-capitalization
Is considerable. W" ought to know
the truth. But the Republican par
| ty shows by the action which the
convention took that it Is
Afraid OF the Truth.
The timidity Of the Republican
leaders was even more emphasized
in the vote Of $50 to 04-g to RE
jccting the plank providing for pub
LEFTY Of campaign contributions IA ld
expenditures. They are even afraid
Of the light, for publicity would
throw light upon politics. Elections
are public affairs aud they ought To-
he conducted in public way.
! Secrecy as I" campaign funds and
and as to the influences which nj
| feet elections is indcfensiblc. II
/ the demand was f"t the publication
| of past contributions and eXpendi-
/ lures, the Republican Convention
might have offered aS an excuse
| that contributions made and money
expended without expectation Of
publicity could not he made public
| without some cmbaras smcnt to those
| giving and receiving, hut such an
excuse can not be offered for law
/ applying to futur" contributions and
disbursements. II is not necessary
/ that small contributions shall hc
made public, and to make these pub
/ lie might subject the givcr To injus-
| ticc If, for instance, the givor was
an employee and opposed to his EN-
ploycr. The same argument that is
made in favor Of the secret ballot
could be- made I'm favor of secrecy
as to small contributions, but this
argument will not apply to large
( contributions. !! q man gives
| largely, the public has a right to
know whether the gift measures n
general interest in the public, or is
part OF an implied contract whereby
Il return is to he secured in legisla-
ton or in immunity. No corpora
tion of any kind should be allowed
to contribute to n campaign fund,
for corporations are not organized
for political purposes, and individual
contributions above reasonable
minimum should be open To inspcc-
ton in order that the voters may be
made acquainted with the influences
which are at work In the campaign.
Why did the Republican Convention
turn down this plank by such an
overwhelming vote when the Presi
dent had asked for publicity legisla-
ton and the Republican candidate
for President had put himself on
record in favor of such legislation?
And how fortunate it is that Mr..
| Taft's letter to Senator Burrows was
brought tn the attention of the pub
lie! If il had not appeared before
the Convention, it would have been
difficult To find after the Convention
There can be but one explanation of
the action of the Republican Con
vcntion, namely, that it is the in
tcntion of those in charge of the
Republican party 10 secure cam
paign funds from sources which
they dare not disclose. They are
Afraid of the Light.
But n still more remarkable mani.
festatiOn of fear is to he found in
the vote of sGG to III to by
which they turned down the propo.
sition to elect United States Sena.
tors by direct vote of the people
What does this mean? Simply that
the Republican leaders distrut pop
ular government. We elect Oui
Congressman by the people; W,
, elect our Governors and State of
flcers by the people; we elect oul
President and Vice President by tn,
, people. If the electors have no dis
cretion-and no elector would dar,
to vote contrary to the sentiment OF
those who elected him-why are tn,
people denied the right to select
Senators by direct vote? There l.
one reason, and only one-the
| IrnitaH Gtutac Ganatn t,ao,. L.,