Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1908-10-30
DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGE

The Democratic national committee
has made good the pledge of the Dem
cratic party to publish the list Of it's
campaign contributions before the
election. This action marks new
departure in tho history of American
politics. and ia In marked contrast to
the attitude Of the Republican party
In concealfng the source of its fund
until after the ballots have been cast
and counted. The attitude Of tho
Democratic party upon this matter il
one Of simple honesty, frankness and
sincerity, while tho most charitable
thing which can be said Of the position
assumed by its opponents 10 that it
lacks candor and raises grave doubt.
What redress will the American peo-
pie have after election when they learn
that the Rockefellers. tho Rogerses,
the Stillmans. the Coreys, tho
Harrimans, the Cromwells, the Nor
gans, the Carnegies, and hundreds Of
other corporation and trust officials
have contributed their tens of thou
sands wrung from the people to assist
Mr.. Taft in purchasing his way to tho
White House? Why have not the vot-
ers Of the country right to know
now who is putting up the money to
finance the Republican party? It is
true they do know that the trusts, the
protected interests, and the Wall
street gamblers are the men who hold
the mortgage upon the Republican
party, but they are entitled to know
the individuals in whose names the
bonds of the Republican party are is
sued
More than $4,000 persons have con-
tributed to the Democratic fund Of
quarter of a million dollars, and not
a penny of it bears the corporation,
trust or tariff faint. It is honest mon
ey, honestly given for an honest pur
pose. It is less by several thousand
dollars than Hartman, the railroad
magnate, raised from source of Re-
publican favorites to aid the Roose-
welt campaign four years ago, and
which Mr.. Hartman himself said
made change of 100000 votes in the
city of New York alone. 1t is nearly
100000 less than Treasurer Sheldon
of the Republican national committee
raised two years ago from a handful
I of Wall street gamblers to finance the
! Hughes campaign for governor. It is
less than the big insurance companies
took from the widows and orphans
fund and turned over to the Republi-
can party.
The publication of the Democratic
fund is challenge to the Republicans
to do likewise. If they do not, they
lay themselves liable not only to the
criticism but the condemnation of the
voting public. But the Republican
party will not take the public into its
confidence before election It dare not
It dare not confess the source of it's
corruption fund, it dare not tell the
American people who are demanding
tariff reform that it obtains money
from men who do not want the tariff
revised. and who by making campaign
contributions place the Republican
party under obligations to them.
Would the Republican party have
dared to tell the peoDle fcrr years
ago that it took hundreds of thousands
of dollars from the lie insurance COM
panies, or that Hartman raised a
quarter of million from friends" to
purchase an Enthusiastically for
900 votes in New York alone? It did
not dare tell then and it dare not tell
now When the charge was made by
Alton B. Parker four years ago It was
Indignantly denied by Mr.. Roosevelt,
who knew then that what Mr.. Parker
said was true. Within three years
the facts were brought to light, and
the public has had an opportunity to
know who told the truth, Mr.. Parker
or Mr.. Roosevelt.
The Democratic party has issued q
challenge to the Republican party
which the Republican party dares not
accept.