New-York tribune., 1908-05-27
CAMPAIGN EXPENDITURES.

The two houses of Congress cannot llghu!
wave aside the appeal for the passage OIL
publicity bill made jointly by the prospective
Republican and Democratic PRESIDENTIAL eau
dida-es for the Presidency Mr.. Bryan does
not oyerster the bounds of probability IN de-
Scrihinc Mr. Taft and himself as the leauhs
candidates of our respective parties. hach
is practically assured of a Presidential noIhila
,ior, and the opinons and wishes of the men
whom the two great parties nave 'lrIu"h'
chosen 10 lead in this years national cam
nairn ought 10 have great weight with both the
ma iority and the minority in Congress "hep
they unite in asking that law requiring pup
licitv for campaign contributions be passed tue
Renuhlican and Democratic leaders IN the t"o
houses will find it difficult 70 excuse 'lieh
failure to push through such measure DeIoie
adjournment.
Congress should not have allowed the session
to drag along into May without putting pun
Lofty law on the statute book. There is ur-
gent need for restraint on lavish ana scan
dalous political expenditures The system OF
caupoicn management In vogue for the last
twenty wears has been based OF mistaken ana
vicious principles The Tribune has repeat
edly called attention TO the fact that the sums
raised for political purposes were much larger
than were actually needed. Probably 40 per
cent of the collections was eaten UP III lhaln-
tanning small army Of superhuous empioEes-
snellhinders secret agents and political soldiers
of fortune-or in subsidizing cheap pubilca-
tions intended 10 reach particular. classes Oh
voters but in reality exercising no measuraple
noIiticaI influence Factftious good times were
created for small group of political promotefS'
hut the return in political conversions was al
most negligible.
So much for the practical effectiveness OF
old-style political expenditures. They constl-
+,1ted 2 reckless waste of resources. But
more positive evil following in their train was
the creation of bond of interest between the
politicians collecting funds and the corpora
tions which in so large q measure furnlshed
them What Senator Platt aptly called "A
moral ohIigetion' was created and the collect
ors AT least appeared TO bind the party Whlch
they represented to more or less conclnatory
attitude toward such subscribers might con-
tribute not out of public or patriotic spirit
hut with an eye TO returns later in the way OF
marty gratitude. The system was therefore
dangerous and always potentially corrupting.
In the last three years the public has awakened
IN IFS perils and in many Of the states laws
have been passed compelling strict account
ing of all political contributions ana e1pendl-
fires There Is every reason why the same
nolicy should be followed In the regulation OF
national campaign management and congress
should not lay itself open TO the charge or nav
ing through negligence, postponed the e1perl-
ment until after 1908
We are convinced that the Republican party
stands cordially behind Mr.. Taft in this mat
ter. and will be highly gratfed by his frank
and manly approval of publicity bill In his
/ letter Of April 80 TO Senator Burrows the Sec
! rotary of War modestly recognized that he was
not vet entitled TO speak as the Republlcan
candidate for the Presidency. Since that time,
however. he has secured the support Of a clear
| ma iority of the delegates to the Republican
! National Convention, and his opinions are now
entitled 10 mere than personal consideration.
He gives expression to a demand which the
Republican majority in Congress would not
lie justified in ignoring He reflects the sentl-
ment Of the great mass Of the Republican
voters who desire to see election methods re-
/ formed, and who would sincerely regret the
! failure of Congress TO measure up to his pro-
gressive and enlightened leadership.