Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-20
Can Contribute TO Re-
publican CampaignFund
National Committee viii Not
Permit Them, Says Tail.
Federal Law Will Be Strictly Fol.
lowed In This Respect.

Hot Springs. Va, July 19-"The ma
tional Republican committee will ac-
cept no contributions from corpora
TONS" said Judge William H. Taft,
Republican candidate, Saturday.
Mr.. TAFT said that not only would
the law of New York state providing
for the publicity of campaign contrib
utlons be obeyed by the national Re-
| publican committee, but tho federal
law prohibiting such contributions by
corporations in connection with the
| election of President, Vice President,
| representatives or senators, would be
| followed without regard to any ques-
ton of validity that might arise in
| respec 10 any provisions Of that law
to contributions for the election of
| Presidential electors. Mr.. Taft declared
| that the law would be obeyed exactly
I, as it was passed by Congress.
! AS to The right of labor leader to
attempt to influence the votes of mem
bers of the organization of which he IL
| a the head, Mir. Taft at first said that
was a question of propriety upon
| which, he was not sufficiently informed
| to discuss.
When asked as to his idea of the
| power Of the leaders of a labor urgani-
zation to throw its vote to one party
or another, he declared that, in his
opinion, il could be predicted that there
is no So called class of the American
electorate whose votes could be de-
livered by it's leaders.
He said that after eliminating menu
bers of both political parties from a
labor organization the expression of
leader might indicate how the remain
ing uncertain quantity might vote in
the election, but he declared that just
as is the case generally in dealing with
any so-called class of citizens, before
expression could be given of the nature
of their vote it would be necessary to
eliminate all members of one or the
other of the political parties.
The question calling forth this state
ment referred to President Samuel
Gompers of the American Federation
of Labor, hut Mr.. Taft avoided making
any personal reference to Mr.. Com
pers or any other leader of organized
labor.
Asked whether he would have any
new remedy to offer for the so-called
trust problem in his speech of accep-
lance, he replied that he did not know
of anything new that he could add to
Il question that had been SO widely
discussed, and stated that he would
have nothing to say on that matter
outside of what he had said at various
times in his public utterances.
Mr.. Tafts attention was called to
assertions of some journals repre-
senting the liquor interests that he is
opposed to prohibition. He explained
that he had never publicly discussed
the ethical side of prohibition and he
took the view. as he understood Mr..
Bryan had done. that the prohibition
issue was not involved in the national
campaign.
From what had come to his atten-
ton in respect to the representations
of these journals he inferred that they
had based their statements on speeches
he had made in which he criticised the
action of some state Legislatures In
passing prohibition and other laws
without providing the machinery for
enforcing them.
Frank b. Kellogg, who has had
charge of the prosecution of corpora
tionS from violations of the sherman
antitrust law for the department of
justice. will return here Monday to
further discuss with Mr.. Taft the
features Oh MS speech Ill TeHtlon 10
the regulation of the so-called trusts.
Hot Springs, July 10 -When Judge
William II. Taft goes to Cincinnati to be
notified of his nomination for the Presi.
dency by the Republican party he vii;
receive notice of his election az q men,
Der of a labor organization. He has beeA
elected member OF the International So
city Of Steam Shovelmen. of which II. j.
Dolan of Chicago Is president. Mr. Taft
had a good deal to do with the steam
shovelmen at Panama. His notification of
his membership In the union will he made
on JIlv %. He will probably leave here
next Saturday for Cincinnati and may
not return until the following Saturday.
Judge Taft has concluded that it will
not be possible for him to attend any
state fairs before the election. After
Continued on Page Two)