The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-09-27

known as a trust and that any money SO
received w. be returned as soon we
received knowledge of the fact. l now
remind you that your convention deliber-
ately rejected by a vote of nine to
one the plank favoring publicity as to
campaign contributions Mr.. Taft has
repudiated the action of the convention
and rebuked the members of the con-
vention by declaring himself in favor of
a publicity law, but he favors publicity
after election while we favor publicity
before the election. Which do you re-
gard as the better plan-to let the peo-
ple know before the election what in
fluences are at work or to let them know
after the election?
Are you willing to say that any pub
lie interests were served in 1904 by con-
cealing until after the election the con-
tributions made to the republican cam
paign committee by Mr.. Harrison and
those collected by him from others?
Publicity of Funds.
Are you willing to say that publica-
ton before the election of the contribu-
tions then would have no effect on the
election? AS / have said, we shall pub
fish the names of contributors above
500. Will you ask your national COM
mittee to publish before the election the
contributions above 500? Or, if you re-
gard this as too small sum, the con-
tributions above $1,000, or If this is also
too small, the contributions above $10,-
900? If not, what reason can you give
to the public for not doing so? l in
sst that our willingness to let the pub
lie know the sources from which we re-
ceive contributions raised a presumption
in our favor that must be overcome be-
fore you can ask the people to accept
your statement that the lew-defying cor
porations have more to fear from republic
can success than from democratic VIC
tory.
"In conclusion, you say that you ask
sunnort of Mr. Taft because he stands
for the moral uplift of the nation be-
cause his deeds have made good his
words. and because the policies to which
he is committe d are of measurable
consequence alike to the honor and the
interests of the whole American people,
| dare to compare my efforts for the
moral uplift of the nation with his eff
forts, my deeds, with his deeds and poll
cies to which l am committed with the
nolicies to which he is committed and
more than that, If / may assume that
he will follow in your footsteps. dare
70 compare my ideal of the presidency
with his / do not regard it as proper
for the President to use his prestige, his
influence or his patronage to any one
member of his party as against another
| who aspires to office, and i regard as
violation of the obligation that the
president owes to the whole people to use
an office that belongs to the whole peo-
ple as a party asset for the advancement
Of a personal friend and a political
protege Believing that the President
! should not be tempted to use that power,
for his own advantage-and 1t Is equally
repugnant to the spirit of our institutions
that he should use it for any one else'l
Advantage tried to secure an amend
ment to the constitution, limiting the
| president to a single term, and have
| announced in three campaigns that j
| elected I would not be a candidate fol
denomination. I believe that the occu
pant Of SO high an office with suci
enormous power at his command, should
be absolutely free to devote himsel