The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-01
JUDGE TAFT IN LINCOLN Repub Candidate at
 Bryan's Home. ACCEPTS THE CHALLENGE Endorses Roosevelfs Position on Publicity of Contributions. Judge Taft Used Argsments ts Estabs lish that Position as ssnnA frea stsndpeiat ef Public Goea.

Lincoln, Eeb., Sept. 30.--ACceptinn the challenge of William J., Bryan. right in the home city of the Nebras- kan. W. H. Taft tonight not only in- dorsed. President Roosevelts position on the question of the publicity of campaign contributions, but defended 1t with arguments to establish that position as sound from the standpoint of public good and to show that the Bryan position was one simply for pre- election effect.
 MT. Taft made eleven speeches in Nebraska today before reaching Lin- coin, and five speeches in Lincoln to- night. Excursion trains came to Lin- coin from many places. and the city was alive with bands and marching clubs.
 The main meeting tonight was held at the Auditorium. It was here that the candidate paid his respects to MT. Bryan regarding campaign contribu- tions.
 When the Taft special reached Lin- coin at o'clock, the candidate was switched out to Havelack to the repair shops of the Burlington system. and there he delivered his address on la- bor.
 II was brought back to Lincoln and escorted to the State University, where he gave a sh ort talk.
 A concert and general jubilation on the Capitol grounds was the next feature, and then the candidate was taken to the Auditorium, where Mir. Taft made one of his char4ls ssristic | talks to the women. What MT. Taft said on publicity to- night follows:
 I Accepts the Challenge. "Mr. Bryan challenges me to take | the same position that President Roosevelt takes with reference to the time when publicity should be made of campaign contributions, and I ac- cept the challenge. I take exactly the same position that the President takes. I have always been in favor of a law which will require publicity of both contributions and expenditures immediately after election. Mir. Bryan seems to favor the publication of con tributions before the election, but post pones the publication of cxpeno,.ares
 until after that time. I confess I see no reascn why if contributions are tc be published before election, expendi- lures should not also be published.
 think that the character of expeno.-
 lures is quite as important as the
 character and source of the contribu.
 tions.
 "I don't know of any election law
 either in this country or abroad. which
 requires the publication of contribu.
 tions or expenditures before the cleo. tion. The law of Nebraska on this sub. ject only requires the publication Of
 contributions and expenditures after the election. This was the law which the Democratic managers in 1904 in Nebraska so fiagrantly violated by fall
 ing to return the receipt of $15.o00
 from Mir. Thomas F. Ryan. The most drastic law in this country on the sub ject is that of New York. which also makes the time of publication after the election.
 The proper object of a publicity law bribery and other improper purposes in elections, and to enable the law officers of the Government and the public to determine whether the con- tributions made were properly expend- cd for legitimate purposes. The re- quirement that the names and amounts of the persons contributing should also be shown. is for the purpose of en- abling the public and the prosecuting officers of the Government to judge
 whether subsequent official action has been improperly affected in favor of the contributors by the successful can didate. This can all be accomplished by publication after the election. The chief objection to the publication of ContrlOuIlOnS DetOTe the etcCtfou ie
 that 1t makes certain that in the heat
 of the controversy. the motives of those who contribute to pay the legiti- mate expenses of the campaign, will be misconstrued. perverted and mis- represented.
 Temptation Minimixed. After the election Is over and the expenditures and contributions are published. the temptation to misrepre- sent the motives of the donors will
 largely be minimized and the public
 may then arrive at just conclusion
 with respect to the matter.
 The known publicity to be given to contributions after the election, will
 greatly reduce the probability that 8 contribution will be made for the pur- pose of seeking privileges or favors at the hands of the candidate an>- tends to secure purity of motives in ther'mak ing of such contributions. 4ar. Bryt&
 looks rather to the publication Of slioi, publications for platform purposes and references than to the main purposs of a publicity law which is to secure the public against bribery in elections and the improper influencing of offieIai action"
 Taft nxxeIIa am Rryan