Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-08-12

official authority is turned over to the
representatives of those who first fur-
nish the sinews of war and then re-
imburse themselves out of the
pockets of the taxpayers?
Fasting in Wilderness necessary.
$50 long as the republican party re
mains in power, it is powerless 10 re-
generate itself. 1t can not attack
wrong doing in high places without
disgracing many of its prominent
members, and it, therefore, uses OPT
ates instead of the surgeon knlfe
Its malefactors construe each repub
lican victory as an endorsement OF
their conduct and threaten the party
with defeat if they are mterfered
with. Not until that party passes
through a period of fasting in the
wilderness, will the republican lead
ers learn to study public questions
from the standpoint of the masses.
| Just as with individuals, 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 i'll constant
contact with the voters, continued
party success blinds their eyes to the
needs of the people and makes them
deaf to the cry of distress.
Publicity rs to Campaign Contributions.
| AN effort has been made to secure
| legislation requiring publicity as to
A campaign contributions and expendi
lures; but the republican leaders, even
in the face of an indignant public
refused to consent 10 a law which
would compel honesty in elections.
When the matter was brought up in
the recent republican national conven-
ton, the plank was repudiated by a
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 will read what he says upon this
Subject. you will find that his promise
falls far short of the requirements of
the situation. He says:
IF | am elected president. | shall
urge upon congress, with every hope
of success, that a law be passed re
} curing the fling, in a federal office,
CT a statement of the contributions
received by committees and candi
dates in elections for members of
congress, and in such other elections
as are constitutionalIy within the con
!, troll of congress-
Il shall not embarrass him by ask.
| .rr
, o. success; it is certainly not on any
j encouragement he has received from
republican leaders. 1t is sufficient to
/, say that if his hopes were realized
, if in spite of the adverse action of
his convention, he should succeed in
, securing the enactment of the very
law which he favors. it would give
but partial relief. He has read the
= democratic platform: not only his
/ language, but his evident alarm indi-
Gates that he has read it carefully.
, He even had before him the action of
the democratic national committee in
, interpreting and applying that plat
form; and yet. he fails to say that he
| fayors the publication of the contribu
lions before the election. OF course
it satisfies natural curiosity to find
cut how an election has been pur
r chased, even when the knowledge
I comes too late to be of service, but
why should the people be kept il
darkness until the election is past.
: why should the locking of the door be
I delayed until the horse is gone?
An Election "a Public Affair,
/ AN election is a public affair. TIL,
: people, exercising the right to select
4 their officials and to decide upon the
o policies to be pursued. proceed to theil
Q several polling places on election da,
and register their will. What excus,
g can be given for secrecy as to the in
o huences at work? If man, pecuniari
r iy interested in concentrating the con
!. troll of the railroads in one manage
O ment,' subscribes a large sum to aid il
|. carrying the election. why should hi
O part in the campaign be concealed un
til he has put the officials under obi