Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-09-09
VOTERS CONSCIENCE
AROUSED TO DUTY
GREAT MORAL WAVE SWEEPS
COUNTRY
Madison Jones Tells Democrats at
Bryan-kern Mass Meeting In
Covina That Independents
Hold Balance

Mattison B. Jones spoke last night
before the Bryan-Kern Democratic club
at Covina to a large audience, dis
cussing various phases of the platform
of both parties.
"Too often" said Mr.. Jones, party
affiliations have been stronger than
public interests, and too often the UNI
safe leader has been indicted into
Office.
To-day this country has greater
percentage of voters of Independent
thinking and self-decision than ever
before, men who weigh well both meas
ures and men of all political creeds ana
with sincerity of heart and true patri-
otism will cast their votes November .
for such measures and men as most
nearly represent the best interests of
the country.
There are today more independent
votes to the square foot than there
were to the acre twenty years ago.
Great Moral Wave
There is in this country today a
great moral wave among the masses of
the people in matters of government
and civic Righteousness, and woe to the
man or men who are trying to stop the
progress of this wave.
1.-THE peoples conscience Is aroused
as possibly never before in the history
of this republic. The great question of
right against wrong is being agitated
as never before.
ALREADY great results have shown
from this agitation In the country at
large, and particularly in certain sec
tons of the country. By far the ma
Jority OF our people have come to the
happy conclusion that in matters of
government as well as in religion, the
right should prevail against wrong.
Years ago when the popular mind
tAA =
tiers of great concern to the whole peo-
pie, certain able and shrewd men con-
ceived the idea of enriching themselves
at the expense of the many, and conse-
Quently sought to take hold and con-
troll the leading legislators In the Re
publican party, to the end that appro
PIRATE legislation be enacted under the
protection of which they might carry
out their nefarious schemes against
both the masses of the people and the
government itself.
National Abuses Grow
National abuses grew out of this
condition of affairs, as is well known
to the entire public, and it Is the great
purpose Of the Democratic party at
this time to make known to the people
its determination, If it's chosen repre-
sentatives are elected, to rid this nation
OF these abuses.
president Roosevelt in his last mes
sage to congress called special atten-
ton to these abuses, and urged upon
congress with language most emphatic
and In speech most earnest to enact
appropriate legislation to take the
grasp of predatory wealth from the
threats of the people. But Republi-
can congress needed not the urgent de-
mands of this Republican reformer.
"One member of the committee on
platform and resolutions of the Repub-
lican convention moved to amend the
majority report by the insertion OF
plank calling for publicity in campaign
contributions, which plank was reject
ed by the convention by vote of $50
to "a.
Compel Publicity
"The Democratic platform was unani-
mously adopted by the Democratic ma
tional convention, and 1t expressly de-
clared In favor of law compelling
publicity of campaign contributions.
The party Is pledged to the enact
ment of a law prohibiting any corpo-
ration from contributing any sum to
any campaign fund of any party, and
porhibits any Individual from contrib
uting to any campaign fund an amount
above reasonable maximum and pro-
viding for the publication before cleo
ton of all such contributions above a
reasonable minimum.
THE Democratic national committee
met Immediately after the adjournment
of the convention and declared that in
this campaign, under that plank of the
platform, no contributions would be
received from any corporation and that
no individual would be allowed to con-
tribute more than $4,000.
"All sums contributed in excess of
500 will be made public before the
November election; that is. those re-
ceived before October is will be pub
lished on or before that day; and those
after October is will be pub
1ished on the day when received, and
no such contributions will be accepted
within three days Of the election.
1.-THE committee further declared that
the expenses of the campaign would be
published after the election inasmuch
as they could not be published before.
''This proves that the policy of the
Democratic party is to inform the peo-
pie of the country who are the con-
tributors to the Democratic campaign,
in order that the people may know
what interests are back Of the Demo-