The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-08-14

election. vi COURSE, II SATISFIES u udl-
ural curiosity to find out how an elec-
ton has been purchased. even when
the knowledge comes too late to be of
service, but why should the people be
kept In darkness until the election is
past? Why should the locking Of the
door be delayed until the horse is gone J?
An Election Public Affair.
An election is a public affair. The
people, exercising the right to select
their officials and to decide upon the
policies to be pursued, proceed to their
several polling places on election day
and register their will. What excuse
can be given for secrecy as to the in
fiuences at work? If a man, pecun-
iarily interested in concentrating the
control of the railroads in one manage
ment," subscribes large sum to aid in
carrying the election, why should his
part in the campaign be concealed I'M
til he has put the officials under obi
CATION to him? If trust magnate
contributes 100000 to elect political
friends to office, with a view to pre-
venting hostile legislation, why should
that fact be concealed until his friends
are securely seated in their official po-
sitiOns?
This is not q new question; it is a
question which has been agitated-a
question which the Republican leaders
fully underestimate question which the
Republican candidate has studied, and
yet he refuses to declare himself in IA
vor of the legislation absolutely neces-
sary, namely, legislation requiring pub
LEGATION before the election.
Democratic Party Promises Publicity.
How can the people hope to rule, If
they are not able to learn until after
the election what the predatory inter-
ests are doingf The Democrats party
meets the issue honestly and coura-
geously. 1t says:
1--WE pledge the Democratic party to
the enactment of law prohibiting any
corporation from contributing to a
campaign fund, and any individual
from contributing an amount above a
reasonable maximum, and providing
for the publication, before election, of
all such contributions above reason
able minimum"
The Democratic national committee
Immediately proceeded to interpret and
apply this plank, announcing that no
contributions would be received from
corporations, that no individual would
be allowed to contribute more than
$4,000, and that all contributions
above 500 would be made public be-
fore the election-those received before
October Is to be made public on or
before that day, those received after
ward to be made public on the day
when received, and no such contribu-
lions to be accepted within three days
of the election. The expenditures are
to be published after election. Here
is plan which is complete and effec-
tive.
Popular Election of Senators.
Next to the corrupt use Of money.
the present method of electing United
States senators is most responsible for
the obstruction of reforms. For one
hundred years after the adoption of
the constitution, the demand for the
popular election of senators, while find
ing increased expression, did not be-
come a dominant sentiment. A con-
stitutional amendment had from time
to time been suggested and the matter
had been more or less discussed in a
few of the states, but the movement
had not reached point where 1t mani
tested itself through congressional ac-
ton. In the Fifty-second congress.
however, resolution was reported
from a house committee proposing the
necessary constitutional amendment,
and this resolution passed the house
Of representatives by a vote which
was practically unanimous. In the
Fifty-third congress similar resolu-
ton was reported to, and, adopted by,
the house Of representatives. Both
the Fifty-second and Fifty-third con-
crosses were Democratic. The Repub-
licans gained control Of the house as
a result of the election Of 1894 and in
the Fifty-fourth congress the PROPOSE
ton died in committee. AS time went
on, however, the sentiment grew among
the people, until it forced Republican
congress to follow the example set by
the Democrats, and then another and
another Republican congress acted IA
vorably. State after state has endorsed
this reform, until nearly two-thirds Of
the states have recorded themselves in
its favor. The United States senate,
however, impudently and arrogantly
obstructs the passage Of the resolution,
notwithstanding the fact that the vot-
ers Of the United States, by an over
whelming majority, demand it. And
this refusal is the more significant
when it is remembered that a number
of senators owe their election to great
corporate interests. Three Democratic
national platforms-the platforms of
1900, 1904 and 190S-specifically call
for change In the constitution which
will put the election of senators in the
hands of the voters, and the PROPOSE
ton has been endorsed by number
Of the smaller parties, but no Repub-
lican national convention has been
willing to champion the cause Of the
people on this subject. The subject
was ignored by the Republican national
convention in 1900; it was ignored in
1904, and the proposition was explicit