The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-29

the national health, scattered through several departments, should be rendered more efficient by uniting them in a bu- reau of the government under compe- tent head, and that I understand to be, i, in effect, the recommendation of both parties.
 Publicity of Campaign Contributions
 and Expenditures.
 Another plank of the democratic plat form refers to the failure of the repub- lican convention to express an opinion in favor of the publicity of contributions re- eeived and expenditures made in elee- tions. Here again we contrast our op- ponents' promises with our own acts. Great improvement has taken place under republican auspices in respect to the col lection and expenditure of money for this purpose. The old and pernicous system of levying a tax on the salaries of gov ernment employees in order to pay the expenses of the party in control of the administration has been abolished by statute. By a law passed by the repub- lican Congress in 1907 contributions from corporations to influence pay the ex- penses connected with the election of presidential electors or of members of Congress is forbidden under penalty.
 A resident of New York has been se- lected as treasurer of the republican na- tional committee who was treasurer of the republican state committee when Gov ernor Hughes was elected in New York, and who made a complete statement within 20 days after the election, as re- quired by the New York law, of the con tributions received by him and the ex- penditures made by him or under his au- thority in connection with that election. His residence and the discharge of his duties in the state of New York subject him to the law of that state as to all re- ceipts of the treasury of the national committee from whatever source, and as to all it's disbursements. His returns will be under the obligations and penalties of the law and a misstatement by him or the filing of a false account will subject him to prosecution for perjury and viola ton of the statute. Of course under the federal law, he Is not permitted to re- ceive any contributions from corporations.
 If I am elected President I shall urge upon Congress, with every hope of sue cess that a law be passed requiring filing in a federal office of a statement of contributions filed by committees and candidates in elections for members Of Congress, and in such other elections as are constitutionally within the control of Congress. Meantime the republican party, by the selection of a New York treas urer, has subjected all it's receipts and expenditures to the compulsory obligation of such law.
 Income Tax.
 The democratic platform demands two constitutional amendments, one providing for an income tax and the other for the election of senators by the people. In my judgment an amendment to the constitu- tion for an income tax Is not necessary I believe that an income tax, when the protective system of customs and the in ternal revenue tax shall not furnish in- governmental needs. and should be devised which under the decisions of the supreme court will con- form to the constitution.
 Election of Senators.
 With respect to the election of senators by the people, personally am inclined to favor it. but it Is hardly a party ques- ton. A resolution in it's favor has passed a republican House of Representatives several times, and has been rejected in a republican Senate by the votes of sen ators from both parties. It has been ap- proved by the legislatures of many re- publican states. In number of states both democratic and republican, substan- tially such a system now prevails. lnaccuracy and lnsincerity of Demo-
 cratic Charges of Extravaganza In
 Increase of Offices and Expenditures.
 Our opponents denounce the republf- can party for increasing the number of offices 23OOO at a cost of $16,000, 900 during the last year. Such denuncia tion is characteristic of the democratic platform. It fails to specify in any way what the offices are and leaves the inference that the increase was re- sisted by the representatives of democ- racy in Congrss. AS a matter of fact, the net number of offices increased was just about half the number stated: the increase was due chiefly to the en- largement of the navy, the construc- tion of the Panama canal, the exten sion of the rural free delivery and to the new offices necessary in the en- forcement of the pure food meat in l spection, railroad rate regulation arid l land reclamation, forest preservation and other measures which Congress ! passed with almost unanimous popular | approval. The democratic platform so | far from attacking any of this legisla- l tion specifically approved much, and | condemns none of it, and it is of course | disingenuous to claim credit for ap- | proving legislation necessary to give | it effect and yet to denounce the ex- penditure. Charge of Deficit
 Again it charges that a deficit of | s60, 900, 900 between the receipts and ex- |
 
 ing June 30, 1908. occurred As ex- 1 plained by the secretary of the treas l ury, at least half of this deficit is only ! an apparent one The falling off in re- | ceipts was, of course occasioned by the | unusual panic but there is ample free | money in the treasury to meet the df- | ference and the difference itself is not | half of it properly deficit, because in- 1 evolved in it was the retirement of some | $33 100000 of the bonds of the govern | ment During the past seven years the income and expenditures of the | government have been nearly equal, | some years showing surplus, and i others, fewer in number, a deficit. Tal.- | ing one year with another, including | this spring, there has been an average | surplus. The surplus last year, for in l stance, was greater than the deficit | this year, so that in fact under the | present administration there has been | no deficit, but surplus which is ac- | tually in the treasury.
 The democratic platform nowhere | points out the expenditures which | might be reduced or avoided. It would | be found generally that to the in-i creases which have occurred democ-ll cratic representatives in Congress made