The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-09-30

the election, how will you explain
the enormous contributions made to
the Republican fund?
az you will remember the Demo
cratic platform candidly declared the
prrty's purpose. If the carrying out
Of that policy would have been of
advantage to any one, the whole
pullio had knowledge and the pub
,icatlon of the contributions would
not hpNe affected the result. Public
ity as to campaign funds Is not
needed to make known that which
is disclosed by the platform but to
direct attention to secret agreements
expressed or implied, which would
otherwise concealed from the
public.
"'You certainly pay more atten5l
tion to the mote then to the beam
when you find fault with our nat
ional campaign fund in 1896, and
ignore the Significance of fund
almost as large, which, at your re-
quest, Yves collected from a few per-
sons in 1904 and was used in one
state an was only small item in
the fund collected that year.
but your letter presents a defense
of our party's position and Pm accu-
sation against the voters which em-
phasize an issue already prominent.
You are the first conspicous men,
"a s~l nfstt IN ~
explanation of the party's opposi-
tion to publicity before the election
and the admission which, you make
will embarass your party associates.
YCnr position is that the publication
Before election OF the contributions
made to your campaign fund would
furnish your political opponents an
opportunity to give false impression
as TO the fitness OF the candidates.
You cite as Illustrations the con-
tributions made to Gov. Hughes
campaign fund and the contribution
collected by Mr. Hartman and the
contributions which are now being
collected FOR Mr.. Taftt campaign
fund
"You charge in effect that the
people are SO lacking in intelligence
that they might condemn as inn
proper contributions which you de-
clare tc be proper. II the voters
differ from you on this question are
they necessarily ignorant Pnd wrong?
Must the members OF the party or
ganization act as seli-appointed guar
dams of the peop'e and conceel from
them what is going On lest the poe
pie be mlsled as to the purpose and
effect OF large contributions.
Is your explanation of the action
OF the Republican leaders in the nat
ional convention In voting you a
publicity plank? II you will pardon
the suggestion believe that tet-
ter explanation can be found in Holy
Writ for do we not reed of men
loving darkness rather than light, be-
cause their deeds are evil?
! "You attempt to make personal
question of IT, and ask whether any
one will accuse such men as you,
Governor Hughes and Mr.. Taft OF
being influenced by contributions.
/ That is not the question. If it is
, found that party 70 suit has Civ
en- 4 sum of money to one of the jur-
ors, the court does not stop to in
quire whether or not the juror is an
incorruptiDle man or whether, in
accepting the money, he explicitly
stated that ii was accepted with the
/ understanding that he was under no
obligation to consider it in making
mp his verdict. The court would
hold that the giving OF money by an
interested party or the receiving OF
money was contempt of court and
an Interference with the admnistra-
/ tion OF justice
Public officials occupy much thn
same position as jurors. They arc
constantly called upon TO decide
, questions between the favor-seelSine
corporations on the one hand and
/, the people on the other. and there is
a very general impression that Of
6cials of these favor-seeking corpo-
itlOHo wv iot pul VIZ idiSp nuiio VI
money for purely patriotic motives.
sfMr. l1avemeyer testified before a
. senate committee some years ago that
= the sugar trust made it a business Ia
contribute 70 campaign funds and
. that 1t was It's custom to give to the
party In power in the state, | do moi
4 moan to say that Mr.. Hughes was in
fuenced by the contributions made tC
him by the trust magnates whose
b names were given in the after-elec'
p tion report; do not mean to say
4 that you were influenced by the con
/ tributlons collected by Mr.. Harri
man; neither do mean to say tha
! Mr.. Taft will be influenced by tn
, contributions that are being made t.
his fund by the trust magnates; bu