The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-10-02

own opinion as to the influences which
are at work They do not need a guard
ian to protect them from the misuse OF
the knowledge which they may acquire
and they ought not to be required to en-
ploy detectives to find out what the Of
ficials are doing after the election Mr..
Taft knows that a great many matters
come before executors and legislators.
while it is difficult, If not impossible for
the average voter to investigate the facts.
1.-THE people have a right to know in
advance of election whether those with
special rights to look after are contribut-
ing sums larger than public spirit, patri-
otto motives and general interest would
explain. If, for instance, candidate
for governor is likely to have to pass
upon railroad legislation, the people nave
a right to know whether men largely IN
terested in preventing railroad legislation
have contributed literally to his cam
paign fund. If man aspires to an Of
flee in which, If elected, he VIII nave
to pass upon antitrust legislation or en-
force antitrust laws, it is only right that
the public should know by what right
the trust magnates are financing his
campaign And so if a man is candi-
date for an office which brings him IN
official connection with tariff Legislation,
it is proper for the public to know
whether he will be so obligated to the
beneficiaries of a high tariff as to be en-
barrassed when he attempts to protect
the consumers.
Funds for Hughes.
Mr.. Taft repeats what l have said In
regard to Mr.. Hughes. l called atten-
ton to some of the contributions that
were made to Mr.. Hughes fund, and
in view of the fact that Mr.. Hughes at
tacks the remedies presented in the dem
ocratic platform as a cure for the trusts,
without advancing any remedies of his
own, and in view of the further fact that
this testimony was quoted by the Presi-
dent against me, / asked the President
whether he thought that these contribu-
lions by trust magnates would lesson or
increase the weight of Mr.. Hughes tes-
timony on the subject of trusts 1t will
not do for Mr.. Taft to put Mr.. Hughes
upon a pedestal and claim for him inn
munity from criticism. 1t is not neces-
sary for me to pass judgment upon Mr..
Hughes or upon what he has done in
order to pass judgment upon the question
under discussion He is only human and
was one of the allies before the Chi
cago convention. We assume that pub
lie officials will be honest and yet we
require bonds of those who handle
money, no matter how much character
they may have. The law will not permit
a judge a juror or an official to ac-
cept gift, if the gift is from one who
has an interest in the official action of
the official, and forbidding this. the law
does not ask to the character of the Of
fetal. The law is based upon human
nature and human experience, and it is
not necessary to furnish specific proof
of special weakness in the man who re-
ceives the money or to prove that his de-
cision was in any manner affected by the
gift. No scales have yet been invented
for the accurate weighing of the reasons
which enter into an officials decision
Against Taft's Views.
ut is only fair however to assume
that in using Mr.. Hughes case as an
argument, Mr.. Taft means to say that
he will not object to contributions from
trust magnates railroad magnates and
tariff beneficiaries, no matter how much
those contributions may be, even though
he may, if elected, be compelled to pass
upon questions where their demands may
be on the one side and the interests of
the general public on the other He must
not complain If he finds that many re-
publicans of the rank and file will differ
from him on this subject for the average
! man will judge aspirants for office by
the rules applied to average men. Com
mon sense and the universal Judgment
are against Mr.. Tafts position and
against the arguments which he advances
in its support"
After giving out the above statement
Mr. Bryan referred to Mr. Taft's state
ment that Thomas F. Ryan contributed
$4,000 to the Nebraska campaign fund
in 1904, and said:
"Tbs has been denied, but I assume
that he has taken the statements of
some of his republican advisers without
| taking time to verify those statements.
Mr.. Ryan did not contribute any money
| to the Nebraska campaign fund. The
national committee contributed $4,000 in
! 1904, and the members of the national
F, committee who had charge of the fund
| have stated that the contribution was
made from the general fund of the COM
| mittee and was not contributed to the
committee by any one for the purpose of
| being sent to Nebraska"