Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-02
BRYAN HITS At TAFT
Surprised He Backs PreSi-
dents Publicity Views.
AN INSULT TO VOTERS
Thinks Rival Must Have Poor 0pin-
ion of Electorate.
CHARGES HIM WITH EVASION
Can Only Be Explained as Conscious
ness That Campaign Methods
Will Not Bear Light.
CHARGES HIM WITH EVASION

by the declaration of Mr. Taft at Lin
coin affirming the position taken oy
| President Roosevelt on the question Oh
campaign publicity, Mr.. Bryan last night
gave out the following statement:
Il am surprised to find that Mr.. Tart
| indorses the Presidents views on the
subject of publicity as to campaign con-
| tributions. but since he holds these
views. l am glad that he makes them
known now. We now have publicity be-
fore the election as to his opinion. even
If he does not believe in publicity OF con
trbutions until after the election. he
fails to see the difference between the
publication of contributions before cleo
| ton and the publication of expenditures
before election.
1.-The publication of expenditures is re-
| quired to show whether corrupt methous
have been employed in the election. ana
as the expenditures continue up 70 me
close of the polls, 1t would be 1mposslDie
to make a complete publication until aft
er the election.
The publication OF contributions ought
to be before election; the main reason TOT
the publication of contributions be1ore
election is to show the public the sources
from which the contributions come IN
order that the public may know wnlcn
party predatory interests are supporting
Every one who knows human nature
knows that the element of gratitude
must always be considered in human at
fairs. Ingratitude has been described
as worse sin than revenge. for 1ngrat1-
tude repays good with evil. while re-
venge only repays evil with evil
Can't Fool the Voters.
Every disinterested voter knows that
the large contributions have been used
to secure mortgages upon officials. The
publication Of contributions throws a
great deal more light upon the influence
at work in politics than the publication
of expenditures, for the publication of
| contributions shows to whom the party
is indebted, and to whom repayment Is
likely to be made, while the publication
Of expenditures shows what has been
paid out, and disbursements do not create
obligations that affect the course o. the
administration.
Mr.. Taft says that the proper object
of a publicity law Is to prevent the use
of money for bribery and otner improper
purposes in elections. and to enable the
law officers of the government and the
public to determine whether the ,contri-
buttons made were properly expended
for legitimate purposes And he adds,
the requirement that the names and
amounts of the parsons contributing
should also be shown is for the purpose
of enabling the public and the prosecut-
ing officers of the government to judge
whether subsequent official action has
been improperly affected in favor of the
contributors by the successful candidate
This. he says. can all be accomplished
by publication after the election. He
then proceeds to indorse the position
taken by the President, declaring that
the chief objection to the publication of
contributions before the election is that
it makes certain that In the heat of the
controversy the motive of those who con-
tribute to pay the legitimate expenses OF
the campaign will bs misconstrued, per-
verted and misrepresented.
The candidate he also insisted, in
whose behalf the contributions are made
will be charged in the most unfair way
as beng completely under the control of
those who make the contributions
Deliberate Insult to Intelligence.
Here he makes the same charge that
the President does. the astounding charge
that the voters are SO liable to be mis-
led that the knowledge must be kept from
them. l insist that it is an insult to the
intelligence OF the voters, and 1t does
little credit to Mr.. Taft's opinion of the
men to whom he is maying his appeal
President Roosevelt may have made his
statement thOughtlesSly, and on the i'm
pulse of the moment, but Mr.. Taft brings
the same Indictment against TIE voters
with elaboration. and after he has read
4 criticism of the Presidents views.
1T Is fair to charge, therefore, that
Mr.. Taft is either expecting to receive
contributions which would arouse just
suspicion among an intelligent people, or
contributions which. If known, would
arouse an unjust suspicion among a peo-
pie too ignorant to form correct judg-
ment upon the facts. This is an evasion
which he can neither retract nor excuse
1t can only be explained by conscious
ness that republican campaign methods
will not bear the light. and that it would
be dangerous to his party If the public
knew before the election what lie prom
Uses to make public after the election.
His subsequent argument that the pub
LEGATION before election of the names and
amounts contributed would discourage
those who desire to contribute to the le-
ultimate purposes of the campaign, by
exposing them to the bitter diatrlbes of
unfair attacks or slanderous condemna-
ton of partsaDs in an electoral fight
ought to have little weight when it is
considered that such publication will be
efficacious in scouraging those who now
desire to contribute to Legitimate ex-
penses. and for the purpose Of putting
officials under obligations to them. While
to judge whether subsequent official &C
ton has been improperly affected in favor
Of the contributors by the successful can
didate.' this Is of very small value COM
pared with the benefit to be derived from
the publication of contributions before
election.
People Need No Guardian.
1.-The people have a right to form their
own opinion as to the influences which are