Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-10-20
Publicity.

In pursuance of its resolution adopted
Immediately following the Denver n
vention to make public the names of
campaign contributors and the amount
of their subscriptions, the democratic
national committee submitted state
ment to the press Oct. 10, in which the
names of all contributors subscribing
500 or more were made public 1t was
disclosed that the total amount of sub
scriptions has reached the sum of S248,
567 ga. And it is significant that near
ly 10000 persons have contributed to
the fund, the bulk OF the contributions
having come from subscribers contri
buting less than 800 each to the fund.
1t is estimated that it will require
S100,000 in addition to the money that
has been raised to meet the legitimate
expenses of the campaign. The money
should be forthcoming and at the rate
subscriptions are being made by the
rank and file there is little question
that the money will be raised. There
will be no money for "blocks of tive,"
to hire repeaters, and to corrupt the
ballot. But there will be money to pay
the expenses of maintaining headquar-
tiers, printing and distributing cam
paign documents and meeting the ex-
penses of meetings. And when that is
done, every legitimate means of ex
pending money in a political campaign
will have been used.
In striking contrast with the action
of the democratic committee in making
public the source of its campaign fund,
the republican national committee is
maintaining absolute silence. 1t is
known that Wall street is being raked
with a fine tooth comb by Sheldon,
Root, Hitchcock and Cortelyou. 1t is
known that the president of the United
States, who four years ago used the
presidents message as a bait to draw
Z. H. Hartman to Washington to in
tereSt him in the raising of money for
his campaign, has been active in devils
ing ways and means for frying the fat.
But the voters only may speculate upon
the success with which their appeals to
the tariff benefciaries, the trusts and
malefactors have met.
In statement in the Independent,
MIR. Taft, the republican candidate,
processes to be greatly shocked and in
diguant over the charge that republi-
can campaign funds have been en-
ployed and are being employed cor
ruptly. 1t is an insinuation against the
integrity of the voters that is horrify
ing to him and which he resents as
base SANDER. Yet, the Chicago Inter
Ocean reports that $4,000 has been
dumped into Indiana, that Ohio and
New York aud the doubtful states are
to be taken care of and that more is to
follow.
What is the money to be used for?
Cynical republican journalists tell US
that the revolt of the negro voters in
Ohio and Indiana is not troubling the
republican managers, excepting that
they do not relish the idea of paying
for votes that they Insist that they
ought to have as matter of course.
The ways of debauching the ballot
with money are many. And Mr.. Taft's
indignation over the idea that money
can be used TO control elections cor
ruptly is anything brt convincing.
Yet if the republican managers have
nothing to hide-if they are raising
money merely to pay the legitimate ex-
penses of campaign-why their re-
fusa. to make public before election the
source and amount of the contributions
TO the republican campaign fund?
Roosevelt says, and Taft echoes his
words, that the people can not be
trusted TO form intelligent and right |
eous Judgment of the purpose of the
contributors or the nses to which the
money win be put. 1t is not, however,