The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1908-08-12
MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS.

leCS1fSu ny COuilnltlSSS anu Sohoi
dates in elections for members of
and in such other elections
as are constitutionally within the
of congress-"
1 shall not embarrass him by ask
ing him upon What he bases his hope
of success; it is certainly lot on any
encouragement he has received from
leaders. 1t is sufficient to
say that if his hopes were realized
If, in spite of the adverse action OF
convention, lie should succeed In
securing the enactment of the very
law which he favors, 1t would give
but partial relief. He has read the
platform; not only his
language. but his evident alarm, tndi'
Gates that he has read 1t carefully.
He even had before him the action
of the Democratic national commit
tee in interpreting and applying that
and yet, he fails to say
that he favors the publication OF the
contributions before the election. OF
course, it satisfies a natural curiosity
to find out how an election has been
purchased, W when the knowledge
comes too late to be of service, but
why should the people be kept in
darkness until the election is past?
Why should the locking of the door
be delayed until h horse is gone?
An Election a Public Affair.
An election is a public affair. The
people, exercising the right to select
their officials and to decide upon the
policies to be pursued, proceed to
their several polling places on cleo
ton day and register their will. What
excuse can be given for secrecy as
to the influences at work? If a man,
~pecuniarily interested in "c~oncentrat-
ing the control of the railroads in n
management" subscribes a large
sum to aid in carrying the election,
why should his part in h campaign
be concealed until he has put the Off
Gals under obligation to him? II a
trust magnate contributes $4,000
to elect political friends to office,
with a view to preventing hostile leg
is1ation, why should that fact be con
cealed until his friends are securely
seated in their official positions?
This is not a new question; it Is a
question which has been agitated-
a question which h Republican lead
ers fully understands question
which the Republican candidate has
studied, and yet he refuses to declare
himself in favor of the legislation abb
solutely necessary, namely, legisla-
ton requiring publication before the
election.
Democrats Promise Publicity.
How a the people hope to rule,
If they are not able to learn until at
ter the election what the predatory
interests are doing? The Democratic
party meets the issue honestly n
courageously. 1t says:
1--WE pledge the Democratic party
to the enactment of a law prohibiting
49, z~--@-a;@- 1-- - ~ 80
campaign fund, and any individual
from contributing an mount above a
reasonable maximum, and providing
for the publication, before election,
of all such contributions above a rea-
Sonable maximum"
The Democratic national commit
tee Immediately proceeded to inter-
pref and apply this plank, an1ounc-
ing that no contributions would be
received from corporations, that no
individual would be allowed to con-
tribute more than $4,000, and that
all contributions above 800 would
be made public before the election
those received before October Is to
be made public on or before that day,
those received afterward to be made
public On the day when received, and
no such contributions to be accepted
within three days of the election. The
are to be published af-
ter the election. Here is a plan which
is complete and effective.
Popular election Of Senators.
Next to the corrupt use Of money,
the present method Of electfng Unit
States senators is most RESPONSE
BILE for the obstruction of reforms.
For n hundred ear after the adop
ton of the constitution, b demand
popular election of senators,
while finding Increased expression,
did not become a dominant senti-
A constitutional amendment
had from time to time been suggest
ed and the matter had been more or
less discussed in a few Of the states,
but the movement had not reached
a point where it manifested itself
congressional action. In the
congress. however, a res
was reported from a house
proposing the necessary
constitutional amendment, N this
passed the House of Rep
by q vote which was
unanimous. In the Fifty
congress q similar resolution
was reported to, and adopted by, the
House of Representatives. Both the
and Ffty-thfFd congress
were Democratic. The Republicans
gained control Of the house as a rel
suit of the election OF 1874 and In the
ongres the proposition
died in committee. Al time went on,
however, the sentiment grew among
the people, until 1t forced a Republi- |
can congress to follow the example |
set by the Democrats, and then ano-l
and another Republican congress
favorably. State after state has
endorsed this REFORM until nearly
Of the states have record
u themselves In its favor. The Unit