The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-10-02
TAFT SCORED
BY MR.. BRYAN
IN STATEMENT
Reasons Why Campaign Con-
tributi0nS Should Be Pub
IiShed Before Election.
PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW
WHO'S CONTRIBUTING
INCIDENTALLY THE REPUBLICAN
CANDIDATE is GUILTY OF Ut
TERiNG A FALSEHOOD.

TERiNG A FALSEHOOD.
Lincoln. Neb.. Oct. declaring that
every disinterested voter knows that
large contributions have been used to
secure mortgages upon officials" w. j.
Bryan tonight issued at Fairview a state
ment criticising the adoption by W. II.
Taft, his Republican opponent for pres
ident. of President Roosevelt's announced
view on the subject of the publicity of
campaign contributions.
Mr. Taft" says Mr.. Bryan, makes
the same charge the president does, the
astounding charge, that the voters are so
liable to be misled that the knowledge
Gas to the amounts and sources of cam
paiSn contributiOns) must be kept from
them"
Mr.. Bryan then adds:
II insist that this is an insult to the
intelligence of the voter, and il does lit
tie credit to Mr.. Tafts Judgment of the
men to whom he is making his appeal"
Following is the complete text of Mr..
Bryan's statement:
Bryan Expresses Surprise.
II am surprised to find that Mr. Taft
endorses the presidents views on the sub
1ect of publicity to campaign contri-
buttons, but since he holds these views l
am glad he makes them known now.
We now have publicity before the cleo
ton as to his opinion, even if he does
not believe in publicity of contributions
until the after the election. He fails to
see the difference between the publica-
ton of contributions before election and
the publication of expenditures before
election. The publication of expenditures
IS required to show whether corrupt meth
DDS have been employed in the election,
and as the expenditures continue up to
the close of the polls ii would be inn
possible to make a complete publication
until after the election. The pubica-
ton of contributions ought to be before
election; the main cause is TO show the
] main sources from which the cOntribu-
know which party predatory interests are
supporting.
Why Trust Money Is Given.
Every one who knows human nature
knows that the element of gratitude must
always be considered-fn- human affairs
sIngratitude has been described as a worse
sin than revenge, for ingratitude repays
good with evil, while revenge only re
pays evil with evil. Every disinIerested
voter knows that large contributions have
been used to secure mortgages upon Of
ficiaIs. The contributions throw a great
deal more light upon the influence at
work in politics than the publication of
expenditures. for the publication of con-
tributiOns show to whom the party is
indebted. and to whom repayment is like
~ 10 be made while the publication of
expenditures shows what has been paid
out. and disbursements do not create OBJ
DedllplS THAT dIlCCl lIit NOul sc VI lllt
administration.
Where Taft Errs.
Mr. Taft says that the proper object
of a publicity law is to prevent the use
of money for bribery and other 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 persons contributing should also
be shown IS for the purpose OF enabling
the public and the prosecuting officers
of the government TO judge whether sub
sequent official action has been improp-
erly affected in favor of the contributors
by the successful candidates, This. he
says. can all be accomplished by publ
cation after the election
He then proceeds TO endorse the posi-
ton taken by the president declaring
that me chief objection 20 the publiCa-
ton of contributions before the election
IS that il EQakes certain that in the heat
of the COntrn ysrsy the motives or those
who contribute to pay the legitimate eX-
penses of the campaign will be miscOn-
strued. perverted and misrepresented.
= The candidates he also insists in
whose behalf the contributions are made
will be charged in the most unfair way as
being completely under the control of
those who make the contributions
Thinks the People Fools.
Here he makes the same charge that
the president does. the astounding charge.
tina. the voters are so liable TO be misled
th..t the knowledge must be kept from
them. / insist that ii is an insult to the
intelligence of the voters, and does lit
tie credit 10 Mr.. Tafts judgment of the
men to whom he is making his appeal.
Mr. Roosevelt may have made this state
Inent thoughtlessly and on the impulse
of the moment but Mr.. Taft brings the
same indictment against the voters with
elaboration and after he has read crit
icism of the presidents views 1t IS fair
TO charge, therefore. that Mr.. Taft is
either expecting to receive contributions
which would arouse suspicion among the
intelligent people, or contributions which,
n known. would arouse an unjust Suspi-
ciOn among people too ignorant to form
q correct judgment upon the facts. This
is an evasion which he cannot retract OF
excuse II can only be explained by a
consciousness that Republican campaign
methods will not bear the light and that
il would be dangerous to his party if the
public knew before the electiOnrwhat he
promises to make public after the cleo
ton.
Should Have Little Weight.
His subsequent argument that tho
publication before election of the names
and amounts contributed would 'discour-
age those who desire 10 contribute tC
the legitimate purposes Of the campaign.
by exposing them to the bitter diatribes
of unfair attacks of slanderous cOndem
Continued on Page 5.