The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1908-07-07
A POLITICAL PARTY AFRAID.

If the mental attitude of the republic
| can party can be judged by the action
of the convention, it has taken counsel
of it's fears.
In rejecting, by vote of 9i7 to g.
| nearly Is to 1.-THE plank providing for
the physical valuation of railroads, the
republican party admits that it is
afraid of the truth. What objection
can there be to finding out what the
railroads are actually worth? If they
are over-capitalized, the country ought
to know it; if they are not over cap
italized, the railroads themselves ought
to be glad to have the fact announced.
So long as the truth is concealed,
there will be eXaggeration on both
sides-thOse who lean to the side of the
railroads denying that there is over
capitalization, and those who demand
rate reduction insisting that the over
capitalization is considerable. We
ought to know the truth. But the re-
publican party shows by the action
which the convention took that it is
afraid Of the truth.
The timidity of the republican lead
ers was even more emphasized in the
vote of $50 to 94-9 to 1-rejecting the
plank providing for publicity as to
campaign contributions and eXpendi-
lures. They are even afraid of the light
for publicity would throw light upon
politics. Elections are public affairs
public way. Secrecy as to campaign
methods and as to the influences which
affect elections is indefensible If the
demand was for the publication of
past contributions and expenditures
the republican convention might have
offered as an excuse that contributions
made and money expended without
expectation of publicity could not be
made public without some embarrass-
ment to those giving and receiving,
but such an excuse can not be offered
for a law applying to future contri-
buttons and disbursements. 1t is not
necessary that small contributions shall
be made public, and to make these
public might subject the giver to in
justice if. for instance the giver was
an employee and opposed to his en-
plOyer. The same argument that is
made in favor of the secret ballot could
be made in favor of secrecy as to small
contributions, but this argument will
not apply to large contributions. If
man gives largely, the public has a
right to know whether the gift meas
ures a general interest in the public, |
or is part of an implied contract
legislation or in immunity. No cor
poration of any kind should be allowed |
to contribute to a campaign fund, for |
corporations are not organized for |
political purposes, and individual con-
tributions above a reasonable mini |
mum should be open to inspection in
order that the voters may be made ac-
quainted with the influences which are
at work in the campaign. Why did the |
republican convention turn down this
plank by such an overwhelming vote |
when the president had asked for pub
licity legislation and the republican
candidate for president had put himself |
on record in favor of such legislation?
And how fortunate it is that Mr.. Taft's |
letter to Senator Burrows was brought |
to the attention of the public. If it had |
not appeared before the convention, it |
would have been difficult to find after |
the convention. There can be but one
explanation of the action OF the repub-
lican convention, namely. that it is the
intention of those in charge of the
republican party to secure campaign
funds from sources which they dare
not disclose. They are afraid of the
light.
But still more remarkable mani
festation of fear is to be found in the
vote of S66 to III to by which
they turned down the proposition to
elect United States senators by direct
vote of the people. What does this
mean? Simply that the republican
leaders distrust popular government,
We elect our congressman by the peo-
pie; We elect our governors and state
-