Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-10-13
A P1fifuI Plea.


President Roosevelt's pitiful effort to
justify his opposition to publicity of
campaign contributions before election,
though protesting to favor publicity
after election, on the ground that if
publicity should be had before election
it would permit "demagogues" to de-
ceive the credulous people, calls from
Mr.. Bryan merited rebuke to the &C.
cupant of the White house. MI. Bryan
says:
"You are the first conspicuous MEM
Der of your party to attempt an explain
alton of the party's opposition to pub
licity before election, and the admission
which you make will embarrass your
party associates. Your position is that
the publication before. election of the
contributions made to your campaign
fund would furnish your political OPP
ponents an opportunity to give false
impression as to the fitness of the can
didates. You cite as illustrations the
contributions made to Gov. Hughes
campaign fund, the contribution col
lected by MIR. Hartman and the contri-
buttons which are now being collected
for Mr.. Taft's campaign fund. You
charge, in effect, that the people are so
lacking in intelligence that they might
condemn as improper contributions
which you declare to be proper.
eff the voters differ from you on this
question are they necessarily ignorant
and wrong? Must the members of the
party organization act as self-appointed
guardians of the people and conceal
from them what is going on lest the
people be misled as TO the purpose and
effect of large contributions? Is this
your explanation of the action of the
Republican leaders in the national con-
vention in voting down publicity
plank?
IF you will pardon the suggestion
believe that better explanation can
be found in holy writ, for do we not
read of men loving darkness rather than
light because their deeds are evil?'
And to emphasize the absurdity of Mr..
Roosevelt's contention that publicity
before election would be improper be-
cause the people could be led to unjust
suspicion, though insisting that publici-
ty after election is quite proper, MIR.
Bryan added
"You fear that we would misrepresent
the motives of those who are contri bu-
ting to the Republican compaign fund,
and cast an unjust suspicion upon Re
publican candidates if the names and
amounts were made known before cleo =.
ton. Your argument, if sound, would
prevent publication after the election,
for why should an unjust suspicion be
cast upon officials after the election any
more than before? Does not the secrecy
before the election increase the suspic-
ion?"
Mr.. Bryan has got entirely the best of
the argument. If publicity is desirable
at all, it is doubly desirable before cleo
ton that the people may determine for
themselves. To hold, as Mr.. Roosevelt
does, that it would be dangerous to let
them know the truth, lest they should
draw unwarranted conclusions, like
wise should call for suppressing the
truth in other particulars, as regards
public expenditures, or acts of public
administration, lest the people knowing
the facts should draw unwarranted con-
illusions and form unrighteous judg-
ment
In our form of government the people
are the source of power. Upon their
judgment and verdict issues are deter
mined and policies of government ap-
proved or disapproved. How absurd,
then, to urge that they can not be trusted
to act intelligently if the truth shall be
told to them? But how can they act
intelligently if it shall be withheld?
We know, of course, that Theodore
Roosevelt is capable of passing judg
ment off-hand before ascertaining the
facts and that his judgment so passed is
righteous and final, but he is an excep-
tional man. The average citizen is
fallible, and before passing intelligent
Judgment, demands the facts that he
may draw the conclusions therefrom
and pass judgment as he NAV see the
th-Milwaukee News.