Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-02-01


was the duty of the people to con.
triLute to the expense OF disseminat-
ing campaign materla! by way of cdu.
cation.
1t had been charged. he said. that
Chairman Cortelyou had received con.
tributions from 6,000 contributors lag
IT," he said, lit was II matter 10 de-
serve recognition that so many peo-
pie had contributed Even il this
were true. he argued, that they were
q very slim fraction OF the 100000
voters for President Roosevelt.
AS for tho Democratic party Mfr.
Bryan said that In 1896 III had more
contributions than In any previous
campaign. Many men would bet $500
I'm the result of an election who would
not contribute So to campaign fund.
Influence OF Contributors.
Mr.. Bryan, however, voiced his op.
position TO the principle OF allowing
only few men TO provide campaign
funds. 1T follows almost as mat.
tor OF necessity" he said, that these
few men will have an influence after
tho election entirely out of proper
tion to their numbers or to the In.
flucnce they ought TO have. In other
words" said MIR. Bryan, without any
intention of Yielding to the cntreaties
of tleee men. without any conscious
sacrifice of the public interest to the
private claim. these men who cOntri.
butte large sums naturally and alnost
necessarily have this influence be.
Culivn trf Tho cont rihutipn -
MIR BRYAN said he was glad Pres
ident Roosevelt had taken the matter
mp. He has spoken 80 plainly on
the Hubject of publicity of campaign
contributions said Mr.. Bryan that
| am sure that the fact that J am n
Democrat will not place suspicion up.
on my argument. for think ! have
tho same interest in this matter that
tho President has expressed" lie dc.
clared he had far greater interest
in government and in public cues.
tions than In personal concern about
the success of an Individual. and"
he added, 81 assume that President
Roosevelt and those who, like him.
have spoken out IN the Republican
party, have the same broad general
interest TINT have Democrats who
have spoken out"
Chairman Gaines Interrupted with
the remark that the difficulty of the
II plan to accomplish the desired pur-
pogc.
Mr. Bryan replied that he recognize
ed the difficulty of getting n law suiIl
cicntly comprehensive In It's material
purpose which would not invade the
sphere of the states. but lie believed
one could be enacted along tho lines
indicated.
Puts 20. *" on Cochran.
Mr. llryan showed that he can for
give and forget. for he linuualihcdly
placed the brand of Democracy upon
Representative William Bourko Cock
RIM OF New York. than whom there
was none who more bitterly opposed
him in tho camnaign of 1896.
Mr.. Bryan was saying that the sub.
ject OF publicity In contributions was
not a partisan one. and that he did
not advocate tho passage of such Il
law In partisan spirit lIc referred
to the fact that Mr., Mccall had in.
PRODUCED one bill upon the subject,
and said Mr.. Bryan. Tho Is Il Re-
publican. Mr., Cochran has offered
another measure along similar lines,
ond hc--ls n Democrat" Mr.. Cock.
ran nat beside tho speaker and APP
parontly unconsclou.ly nodded In ap.
proval.
Members OF tho committee asked
MIR Bryan various questions as to
his plan for accomplishing tho mlr.
poses sought for, and these wore IN.
swered by Mr.. Bryan to the effect
that no advocated only the general
principle involved, and thought the
members OF the committee. working
in harmony on the subject. could con-
stiuct 4 measure which would DC
broad enough to attain the ends
sought and still! he within constitu-
tional limitations. He left that mat.
ter entirely to the committee he said.
The members of the committee were
so highly pleased with MIR Bryan's re-
marks that they voted 10 ask to have
Them printed for distribution.
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