Goldsboro weekly argus., 1908-10-15
PUBLICATION AS An kNTIBOTE.

The real issue in this presidential
campaign is the tariff, which includes
the trusts it created and upon which
they grow fat and arrogant and de-
fiant. One of the antidetes for this
svil, as proposed by the Democratic
platform, is the publication OF cam
paign eontri buttons before the election.
The Republican party proposes 10 pnb-
lish these contributions alter the cleo
tion. Their purpose is obvious. They
know that such publication at such a
time will be too late to expose their
plot and enlighttn the voters in time
for them to register at the polls their
disapproval of the effc rts OF the trusts
andmonopolies to control the election
by money ,and thus put in office candi-
dates upon whom they can rely to do
their bidding.
Mr.. Bryan recently answered the
sophistry which the Repu blcan can
date for president set forth in epposi.
tion to the publication of campaign
contribution before the election. Let's
c )nsider some OF MIR. Taft's so-called
arguments. He processes to sec no
difference between the publication of
contri bu utions ana the publication of sx
penditures before the election. 1t is not
SO much a question of the amount
spent in the conduct OF campaign as OF
the source from w hich the money comes.
If the large contributions which are
donated by the trusts with axe-grind-
ing motives be known in advance, the
people can SEQ to whom the party is
Indebted.
Roosevelts view is that the objection
to the publication of contributions be-
fore the election is that the motives of
= the contributors will be misconstrued
and perverted. That will depend upon
circumstances. If the corporate in
terests contribute sums to be used only
in the legitimate expenses of the cam
xgpaign it is not likely that their mo-
tives would be misconstrued or per-
y yerted.
For instance. suppose in a column
appeared:
john Smith $50
Bill Brown 25
eArmcur q 60. Isl
International Harvester Co. 80
and SO on? This would not arouse sus-
picion. On the other hand when Mr.
Hartman raises $3.50, 900 in two days;
when three life insurance companies
contribute from $5O,0oO to $1O0. 200,
when Mr.. Morgan, Mr.. Rockefeller,
Mr.. So and-So contributes thousands
in . word when a dozen or SO men con-
nected with trusts raise most of the
smonev tor the whole campaign, the
voter has reason to suspect that it is
ttor the purpose of putting in Office can
didates whowill work in harness with
those special interests in the enactment
of or failure to enact laws. II the vo-
tors can be trusted to cast their ballots
lntelHgently and patriotically. surely
they can be trusted to decide by the
sizes and sources of the contributions
whether or not unworthy motives and
unfair methods are being employed in
the campaign and in the matter of SUE
sequent legislation. Large contribu-
etions from fabulously rich corporations
would naturally arouse suspicion
among the voters for the reason that
ethe average voter is not fool.
Without any attention OF making ap-
plication OF Biblical observation to
anybody connected with the Republi-
can campaign it may serve to illustrate
the sophistry of the contention in favor
of the suppression Of publication OF
contributions until after election by re-
calling that thieves love darkness be-
cause their deeds are evil.