Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-27

defying corporation has any other rea-
son to fear from you save what 1t win
suffer by the general paralysis of busi-
ness, etc. Referring to the last part
of the sentence first I might question
your ability to act as an expert as
to panic preventives, since you now
have one on your hands, but as to
your charges that no law-defying cor
poration has reason to fear the direct
effect of the antitrust remedies which
l favor, permit me to suggest that
your testimony on this subject is not
conclusive.
you are a witness, to be sure, but
your interest in the result of the cleo
ton must be taken into consideration
in weighing your testimony. There
is better evidence that the trust mag
mates know their own interests in sup
porting Judge Taft.
No Trusts Favor Bryan
mot one of the trust magnates
helped to secure my nomination, while
it is a matter of common notoriety
that they were conspicuous in the Re-
publican convention, and it is equally
a matter of common notoriety that
they are supporting your party in this
campaign. If you will name a single
official connected with "a law-defying
corporation monopoly or trust, who
has declared or will declare that he
is supporting me, l will publicly warn
| him that 1 viii enforce against him
the criminal law and will enforce
against him Also the laws demanded
in the Democratic platform as soon
| as these laws can be enacted.
But there is another fact which
raised presumption in favor of our
party and against your party. l re-
ferred to 1t in my former letter to
| you, but you inadvertently overlooked
1t in your reply, and the members
of your cabinet. called in for consul
tation, evidently did not notice it. 1
! stated that we had not knowingly
received dollar from any official con-
nected with a corporation known as
trust and that any money so re-
ceived would be returned as soon as
| we received knowledge of the fact
now remind you that your convention
deliberately rejected, by a vote of
to 1, the plank favoring publicity as
to campaign contributions"
Mr.. Taft has repudiated the action
| of the convention and rebuked. the
members of the convention by declar-
ing himself in favor of a publicity law,
but he favors publicity after the cleo
| ton, while we favor publicity before
the election. Which do you regard as
the better plan-to let the people know
before the election what influences are
at work or to let them know after the
election?
Are you willing to say that any
public interest was served in 1904 by
concealing until after election the con-
tributions made to the Republican
campaign committee by Mr.. Hartman
and those collected by him from 9TH
ers? Are you willing to say that the
publication previous to election would
have no effect on elections? AS have
said, we will publish the names of con-
tributors above 800. VIII you ask
your national committee to publish be-
fore the election The contributions
above 500, or if you regard this as too
small a sum the contributions of $1,000?
Or if this also is too small, the contri-
buttons above $4,000? If not, what ex-
cuse can you give for not doing so?
insist our willingness to let the pub-
lie know the sources from which we
receive contributions raises a senti-
ment in our favor that must be over
come before you can ask the people to
accept your statement that the law-de-
flying corporations have more to fear
from Republican success than Demo-
cratic victory.
Compares with Taft
'In conclusion you say that you ask
support for Mr.. Taft because he
stands for morally uplifting the ma
ton, because his deeds have made
good his words and because his policies
to which he is committed are Of inn
measurable consequence alike to the
honor and interests of the whole
American people,
81 dare to compare my efforts for
the moral uplift of the nation with his
efforts, my deeds with his deeds and
the policies to which l am committed
with the policies to which he is COM
mitted and more than that, if I may
assume that he will follow in your
footsteps. l dare compare my ideal of
the presidency with his. I do not re-
gard it as proper for the president to
use his prestige, his influence or his
patronage to aid one member of his
party as against another who aspires
to office, and l regard it as a violation
of the obligation. that the president
owes to the whole people to use an Of
flee that belongs TO the whole people
as a party, as set for the advancement
of a personal friend and political pro-
tege. Believing that the president
should not be tempted to use that pow
err for his own advantage, 1t is equally
repugnant to the spirit of our insti-
tutions that he should use it for any
one else's advantage. tried to secure
an amendment to the constitution linn
iting the president to a single term and
that if elected 1 would not be a cam
didate for denomination.
IT believe the occupant of so high |
an office, with such enormous power
at his command, should be absolutely
free to devote himself unselishly to
his countrys welfare, and I am SAN
guine enough to believe that If in
trusted with power I would be able
to make my administration so success |
full that the members of my party
could, without interference from me- |
select the one most worthy to carry |
on the work begun by me-so sue
cessful that the administration would |
speak for itself and that it would |
not be necessary for me to defend it |
in bulletin or pronunciamentos. |
think I could in this way give to the !
members of the opposite party as well |
as to the members of my own party a |
square DEAL Very truly yours,
civilian JENNINGS BRYAN"