The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1908-08-12
YVES WRIGHT.

tons. What can be expected when Of
fetal authority Is turned over to the
representa- tives Of those who first fur
nfsh the sinews Of war and then REIN
burse themselves out of the pockets OF
the taxpayers?
~ Fasting In Wilderness Necessary.
So long as the Republican party re
mains In power, it is powerless to re.
generate itself. 1t can not attack
wrong-doing in high places without dis.
gracing many of it's prominent mem.
bers, and it, therefore, uses opiates in,
stead Of the surgeons knife Its male
factors construe each Republican vic
tory as an endorsement of their con-
duct and threaten the party with de-
feat If they are interfered with. Not
until that party passes through pc
Rod Of fasting In the wilderness, will
the Republican leaders learn to study
public questions from the standpoint
OF the masses. Just as with individ-
uals, "the cares of this world and the
deceitfulness of riches choke the truth, .
so In politics, when party leaders serve
far away from home and are not in
constant contact with the voters, con
tinued party success blinds their eyes
to the needs Of the people and makes
them deaf to the cry of distress.
Publicity as to Campaign contribu-
tions. e
An effort has been made to secure
legislat ion requiring publicity as to
campaign contributions and expendi-
lures; but the Republican leaders, even
in the face of an indignant public, re-
fused to consent to law which would
compel honesty in elections. When the
matter was brought up in the recent
Republican national convention, the
plank was repudiated by vote Of $50
to "a. Here, too, Mr.. Taft has been
driven to apologize for his convention
and to declare himself In favor of a
publicity law; and yet, If you viii read
what he says upon this subject, you
will find that his promise falls far short
Of the requirements of the situation.
He says: .s..
If l am elected president, I shall
urge upon congress, with every hope OF
success, that law be passed requiring
the filing, in a federal office, Of state
ment Of the contributions received by
committees and candidates in elections
for members Of congress, and In such
other elections as are constitutionally
within the control Of congress- p
shall not embarrass him by asking
him upon what he bases his hope Of
success; it Is certainly not on any en-
couragement he has received from Re.
publican leaders. It is sufficient to say
that II his hopes were realized Ii, in
spite Of the adverse action Of his con-
vention, he should succeed in securing
the enactment Of the very law which
he favors, it would give but partial re-
lief. He has read the Democratic plat
form; not only his language, but his
evident alarm, indicates that he has
read it carefully. He even had before
him the action Of the Democratic ma
tional committee in interpreting and
applying that platform; and yet, be
fails to say that he fayors the pubHca-
ton Of the contributions before the
election. OF course, It satisfies a nat
ural curiosity to find out how an cleo:
ton has been purchased, even when,
the knowledge comes too late to be Of
service, but why should the people be
kept IN darkness until the. election 1s