The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-08-31

Chicago. Aug. sD.-(Snecial) )-The fact was developed today that the Re- publican National Committee Is ignor- ing the Federal statute making it unlawful to solicit money for political purposes from corporations. A letter addressed to a Chicago corporation ur- gently appealing for funds was issued Aug. 21 from Republican national head quarters son stationery of the Republi- can National Committee. This letter was signed by Fred w. Upham. Assist- ant Treasurer of the Republican Com mittee. At the top of this stationery was the name of Frank H. Hitchcock, the Republican National Chairman, and the names of all of, the officers of the committee. of which he is the direct ing head. For fear the appeal Tor corporation aid might be overlooked. MT Upham enclosed in his letter self addressed envelope in large print, which directed that the return of the sinews of war be made to him at the headquarters of the Republican Ma tional Committee, 234 Michigan Ave nue, Harvester Building, Chicago. III.
 While addressing this appeal for financial aid to corporations. Treasurer Upham was careful to Say You are re- quested to bring this matter to the attention of your business associates and ask each to send check Tn OLu6E WOTQSt MT dlN . NaAhP6A9h agers' are doing by indirection that which, if done directly, would be violation of the Federal laws of the land. Here is Mir. Upham's fat frying letter:
 August 21, 1908.
 Co.,, Chicago, Ill.,.
 Gentlemen:-Both the New York and Chicago headquarters of the Republi- can National Committee have been opened and the work of the campaign Is well advanced. The election of MT. Taft and MT. Sherman is essential to the welfare of this country and per feet organization is necessary to elect them. To secure a perfect organiza- tion, the National Committee must be liberally supplied with funds. Con- gress recently enacted a statute mak- ing 1t unlawful to solicit money for political purposes from corporations. All the funds, therefore. for the cam paign must be supplied by individuals. You are requested to bring this mat ter to the attention of your business associates and ask each to send check.
 Please be as liberal as possible, as 1t will take large amount of money to pay the expenses of organization, the postage, printing. speakers bu- reau and various details that are ab- solutely necessary to success.
 Yours very truly,
 (Signed) Fred w. Uphan,
 Assistant Treasurer.
 This is a clever scheme for evading the Federal statute in collecting cam paign funds. and it shows that MT Taft's managers are relying on cor poration aid for the conduct of their campaign Following this plan of hat passing. it Is reasonable to suppose that a letter of like kind has been or will be sent to the Standard OH Com pany with the expectation of receiv- ing a contribution from John D. Rocke- feiler and his multi-millionaire asso- ciates who share in the royalties or the greatest of all corporations.
 Early in the campaign leading Re- publicans said it was all right for corporations to make campaign contri- buttons. It was their purpose, judg- ing from the utterances of the party leaders to start out for funds in the regular way. One of the leading Re- publicans who defended this method of fat frying was none other than George R. Sheldon. Treasurer of the Republican National Committee An other Republican auth orIty said 1t was all right for corporations to contribute in a campaign. and that they had as much right to do so as do farmers, whose business interests might be af- fected in a local campaign.
 The action of Kansas Republicans in party council. who yesterday endorsed the Denver platform by declaring for the principle of guaranteeing bank deposits, has caused Republicans to sit up and take notice. The national leaders of that party began the cam palgn with the firm resolution to ag- gressively assail the Democratic dec laration for the protection of bank de- positors. The argument advanced by some of the big national banking in- terests in opposition to the guarantee plan has been continually aired by Republican orators since the adjourn . ment of the Denver Convention. Only as late as Tuesday of this week Post master George Von Meyer, one of MT. Taft's personal admirers, announced in an interview following a confer ence with the Republican Presidential