The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-03
THE PEOPLE WANT LIGHT.

ThE FEuFLE WANT LAGnT.
 The Boston Globe tries to be impar- tial between Bryan and Taft but it is sition regarding publicity of campaign contributions. and Is equally plain in it's estimate of the Republican position on that question, aslvoiced by Roose-. welt. MT. Roosevelt" 1t says makes the astonishing statement that the pub lie knowledge before election of the contributions made during the cam paign would enable men like MT. Bryan to strive to produce the impression that the acceptance of certain contributions by candidates would affect the attitude of those candidates, if they should be successful, toward the interests that had made the contributions.
 If it means anything, this statement means that the public Is not to be trusted with a knowledge before cleo ton of the sources of campaign funds, since 1t might be prejudiced against candidates because of the friends they had made. After election it would be perfectly safe to publish the sources of campaign funds, since whatever public sentiment was aroused then would be too late to express itself at the polls. But if we are to wait until public senti- ment is able to do no more than im- potently rage. why publish campaign contributions at all?
 This whole subject of campaign funds and their sources, however, has been made so interesting by continued and widespread discussion. with dis tinctly dramatic developments, that the public curiosity cannot be satisfied much longer with anything less than the complete confidence, before and af- ter elections of campaign fund collec- tors and distributors as to their fas- cinating methods of gathering and em- ploying their aptly named sinews of war"
 The statement of MT. Bryan publish ed in Fridays papers. is a fair and clear exposition of the. matter. It is plain that in taking the position he does MT. Roosevelt Is actuated by one of two motives-perhaps by both. Eith- CT his party is asking and receiving contributions from sources he is asham-
 |. | injure MT. Taft's prospects to let the public know that the Republican cam paign is being financed by the trusts about which the President has so much to say. If one or both these reasons are not behind his opposition to publi- city--until after the election-it is diff fcult to understand his position. un- less we go on the theory that he op- poses anything that Mir. Bryan and the Democratic Party are in favor of.
 The position taken by Roosevelt, and endorsed by Taft. that there should be no publicity until after the election, is absurd. As our Boston contempo- rary argues, the people are becoming tired of this nest-hiding business. They feel that they are entitled to be taken into the confidence of the party they are called on to support, and if that confidence is studiously withheld 1t will arouse suspicion. indifference, and final ly, opposition to those who refuse to trust them.
 What good can be accomplished by publishing-after the election-the source of all campaign contributions? Even if such publicity should cast sus- picion on the successful party it would do no good. If Taft is elected the fact that his success was partly due to money contributed by the corporations would not worry him or Roosevelt. If he is defeated they will care little what is made public about their campaign fund. Plainly The Globe is correct in its argument and it is equally plain that Mir. Bryan states the matter fairly and correctly. The people are entitled to know the truth, however much it may cause Rooseevlt and his factotum to dodge and squirm.