Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-10-02
INSULT TO VOTERS.
Bryan Answers President in Regard
 to Campaipn Contributions.

Lincoln, Neb, Oct, 2.-Declaring that every disinterested voter knows that large contributions have been used to secure mortgage upon off, cials, William J. Bryan issued at Fairview a statement criticizing the adoption by William II. Taft. his re- publican opponent for president, of President Roosevelts announced view on the subject of the publicity If campaign contributions. Mir Taft, says MT Bryan, makes the same charge the president does-the as- founding charge that the voters are so liable to be misled that the knowl- edge as to the amounts and sources of campaign contributions) must be kept from them"
 Tthe democratic nominee then adds: ''I insist that this Is an insult to the intelligence of the voters, and 1t does little credit to MT Taft's judgment of the men to whom he is making his appeal"
 Tt is fair to charge, therefore, that MT Taft is either expecting to receive contributions which would arouse just suspicion among an in- telligent people or contributions which, if known, would arouse an un- just suspicion among people too ignorant to form a correct judgment upon the, facts. This is an evasion which he can neither retract nor ex- cuse. It can only be explained by a consciousness that republican cam paign methods will not bear the light and that it would be dangerous to his party if the public knew before the election what he promises to make public after the election.
 His subsequent argument that the publication before election of the names and amounts contributed would discourage those who desire to contribute to the legitimate purposes of the campaign by exposing them to the bitter diatribes or unfair attacks of slanderous condemnation of par tisans in an electoral fight ought to have little weight when 1t is consid- cred that such publication will be
 
 now desire to contribute to illegiti- mate expenses and for the purpose of putting officials under obligations to them.
 'Mr Taft knows that great many matters come before executives and legislators where it is difficult, if not impossible, for the average voter to investigate the facts. The people have right to know in advance of election whether those with special interests to look after are contribut- ing sums larger than public spirit, patriotic motives and general inter- est would explain.
 MT Taft misrepresents what l have said in regard to MT Hughes. 1 called attention to some of the con- tributions that were made to MT Hughes's fund, and in view of the fact that MT Hughes attacks the rem edies presented in the democratic platform as a cure for the trusts without advancing any remedies of his own, and in view of the further fact that this testimony was quoted by the president against me, I asked the president whether he thought that these contributions by trust mag mates would, lessen or increase the weight of MT Hughes's testimony on the subject of trusts.
 "The law will not permit judge, a juror or an official to accept a gift, If the gift is from one who has an interest in the official action of the official, and in forbidding this the law does not ask as to the character of'the official. The law is based upon human nature and human experi- ence, and it is not necessary to fur nish specific proof of special weak ness in the man who receives the money, or to prove that his decision was in any manner affected by tho gift No scales have yet been in. vented for the accurate weighing of the reasons which enter into an off, cial's decision.
 Tt is only fair, however, to as- sume that in using MT Hughes's case as an argument, MT Taft means to say that he will not object to contri- buttons from trust magnates, rail- road magnates and tariff benef1ci- aries, no matter how much those con- tributions may be, even though he may, if elected, be compelled to pass upon questions where their demands may be on the one side and the in- terests of the general public on the other" .
 Referring to Mir Taft's statement that Thomas F. Ryan contributed