Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1908-08-21

service. but why should the people be
past? Why should the locking Of the
door be delayed until the horse Is gone?
An Election . Public AFFAIR.
An election Is q public affair. The
people. exercising the right to select
their officials and to deci,ie upon the
policies to be pursued, proceed to their
several polling places on election day
and register their will. What excuse
can be given for secrecy as to the in
fluences at work? II a man. pecun-
iariiy interested In concentrating the
control Of the railroads III one manage
ment." subscribes a large sum to aid in
carrying the election. why should his
part In the campaign be concealed un-
til he has put the officials under obA-
CATION to him7 If trust magnate
contributes 100000 to elect political
friends to Office. with view to pre-
venting hostile legislation. why should
that fact be concealed until his friends
are securely seated In their official po-
sitions?
This is not new question:: 1t Is
question which has been agitated-a
question which the Republican leaders
fully underestimate question which the
Republican candidate has studied. and
yet he refuses to declare himself in IA
vOr Of the legislation absolutely ncces-
sary. namely. legislation requiring pub
lication before the election.
Democratic Party Promises Publicity.
How can the people hope to rule. II.
they are not able to learn until after
the election what the predatory inter
ests are doing? The Democratic party
meets the issue honestly and coura-
geously. 1t says:
I'VE pledge the Democratic party to
corporation from contributing to
campaign fund, and any Individual
from contributing an amount above q
reasonable maximum. and providing
for the publication, before election, OF
all such contributions above n reason
able minimum"
The Democratic national committee
Immediately proceeded to interpret and
apply this plank, announcing that no
contributions would he received from
corporations. that no individual would
be allowed TO contribute more than
$4,000, and that ali contributions
above 500 would be made public be-
fore the election-thOse received before
October 10 to be made public on or
before that day. those received after
ward to be made public on the day
when received. and no such contribu-
tions to be accepted within three days
OF the election. The expenditures are
to he published after election. Here
Is a plan which Is complete and effec-
tive.
| Popular Election Of Senator'S
| Next to the corrupt use Of money.
the present method Of electing United
States senators IL most responsible for
the obstruction Of reforms. For one
hundred years after the adoption of
the constitution. the demand for the
popular election Of senators. while find
Ing increased expression. did not be-
come n dominant sentiment A con-
stitutional amendment had from time
to time been suggested and the matter
had been more or less discussed IN a
few Of the states, but the movement
had not reached a point where 1t mani
tested itself through congressional ac-
ton. In the Fifty-second congress.
however. resolution was reported
from house committee proposing the
necessary constitutional amendment,
and this resolution passed the house
Of representatives by vote which
was practically unanimous. In the
Fifty-third congress n similar resOlu-
ton was reported to. and adopted by.
the house Of representatives. Both
the Fifty second and Fifty-third con-
crosses were Democratic The Repub-
leans gained control Of the house as
result Of the election Of 1894 and In
the Fifty-fOurth congress the PROPOSE
tion died IN committee. As time went
on. however, the sentiment grew among
the people, until It forced Republican
congress to follow the example set by
the Democrats, and then another and
another Republican congress acted ia
vorably. State after state has endorsed
this reform. until nearly two-thirds Of
the states have recorded themselves In
its favor The United States senate.
however. impudently and arrogantly
obstructs the passage OF the resolution,
Notwithstanding the fact that the vot-
ers of the United States. by an over
whelmiGg majority. demand 1t. And
this refusal is the more significant
| when II IS remembered that number
Of senators owe their election to great
corporate interests Threc Democratic
national platfOrms-the platforms OF
1900. 1904 and 19OS-speciflcally call
for Il change In the constitution which
| will put the election OF senators I'm the
hands OF the voters. and the PROPOSE
ton has been endorsed by number
OF the smaller parties. but no Repub-
lican national convention has been
willing to champion the cause OF the
people on this subject The subject
was ignored by the Republican national
convention In 1900: 1t was ignored in
| 1904, and the proposition was explicit
ly repudiated In 1908. for the recent
Republican national convention, by a
vote Of 500 to ia. rejected the plank
endorsing the popular election Of sena-
tors-and this was done In the conven-
ton which nominated Mr.. Taft. few
delegates from his own state voting for
the plank.
Personal inclination Not Sufficient.
In his notification speech. the Repub-
lican candidate, speaking Of the cleo
ton Of senators by the people. says:
Personally am inclined to favor Il
bot 1t Is hardly \ party quest3OO.-
What is necessary to make this party
question? When tho Democratic con-
vention endorses a proposition by a
unanimous vote, and the Republican
eonvs sntion rejects the proposition by
vote Of seven to one. does 1t not be-
come an issue between the parties?
Mr.. Taft can not remove the question
from tie arena of politics by express
| tD.r 4, pnr,npaI ipoIipotInp tou.,r1 Tim