Evening journal., 1908-08-12

OF the contributions received by COM
mittees and candidates in elections for
members OF congress, and in such other
elections as are consttutionally within the
control OF congress-
Il shall not embarrass him by asking
him upon what he bases his hope of sue
cess; IL is certainly not on any encourage
ment he has received from Republican
leaders. II is sufficient to say that II his
hopes were realized-if. In spite Of the adj
verse action of his convention ne should
succeed In securing the enactment Of the
very law which he favors, it would give
but partial relief lie has read the Dem-
ocratic platform; not only his language
but his evident alarm, indicates that he
has read Il carefully He even had before
him the action OF the Democratic national
committee In Interpreting and applying
that platform; and yet, he fails to say
that he favors the publication OF the con-
trlbutions before the election OF course.
Il satisfies a natural curiosity to find out
how an election has been purchased. even
when the knowledge comes too late to
bo OF service but why should the peo-
pie be kept IN darkness until the election
is past7 Why should the locking OF the
door be delayed until the horse is gonei
''An election is a public affair. The pso-
pie, exercising the right 10 select their Of
ficials and to decide upon the policies to
be pursued. proceed to their several poll
ing places on election day and register
their will. What excuse can be given for
secrecy as 10 the influences at worki II
man, pecuniarlly interested I'm 'concentrat-
ing the control OF the railroads In one
management, subscribes a large sum to
aid in carrying the election, why should
his part In the campaign be concealed
until he has put the officials under ohli-
cation to him? II trust magnate con-
tributes 100000 to elect political friends
TO office. with a view TO preventing hostile
legislation. why should that fact be con-
ceaied until his friends are securely seat
ed in their official posiuons7
This is not new question; II Is a aues-
ton which has been agitated-a question
which the Republican leaders fully UNDER
stand-a question which the Republican
candidate has studied. and yet he refuses
TO declare himself IN favor of the legisla-
ton absolutely necessary. namely. legis-
lation requiring publication 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 interests are
doing7 The Democratic party meet-- the
issue honestly and courageously. IL says:
1--WE pledge the Democratic party to
the enactment of a law prohibiting any
corporation from contributing 70 a cam
paign fund. and any individual from con-
\ tributing an amount above a reasonable
maximum. and providing for the publlca-
ton before election. OF all such contribu.
tions above a reasonable minimum
'The Democratic national committed
Immediately proceeded to interpret an'
apply this plank. announcing that no con
, tributions would be received from car
porations, that no individual would b
allowed TO contribute more than $1,000
! and that all contributions above sloo woul
be made public before the election-thos
received before October Is TO be made pub
, lie on or before that day. those receive'
. afterward to be made public on the ~
when received, and no such contribution
I to be accepted within three days OF th
= elect ln. The expenditures are to be pub
lshed after the election Here Is plal
which is complete and effective.
Next to the corrupt use OF money, thI
present method OF electing United State
! senators is most responsible for the oh
I struction OF reforms. For one hundred
, years after the adoption OF the constitu
ton, the demand for the popular electioi
Of senator's. while finding increased ex
: preston. did not become a dominant sen
E timent. A constitutional amendment ha
r from time to time been suggested and a
j matter had been more or less discusse
in few Of the states. but the movemen
!, had not reached a point where It mani
. tested itself through congressional actor
!. In the Fifty-second Congress. however
a a resolution was reported from hous
10 committee proposing the necessary const
d tutional amendment. and this resoiutio
:; passed the House OF Representatives
( vote which was practically unanimou
{ In the Fifty-third Congress a similar resS
s luton was reported to. and adopted
y the House OF Representatives. Both N
y Fifty-second and Fifty-third congresss
h were Democratic. The Republicans game
L control of the house as a result Of II
Q election OF 1894 and in the Fifty-fourt
= congress the proposition died in commi
e tee. AS time went on, however the sent
a ment grew among the people, until
s forced a Republican congress to follow Il
j. example set by the Democrats, and the
IS another and another Republican cohgrei
n acted favorably State after state has ei
: dorsed this reform. until nearly two-thlr,
Il OF the states have recorded themselvl
i in its favor. The United States senat
e however. impudently and arroganuy o.
l. structs the passage OF the resolution. no
n withstanding the fact that the voters
) the United States. by an overwhelmir
J. more significant when it is remember
g that a number of senator's owe the
{. election TO great corporate interests. Thr
r. Democratic national platforms-the pla
n forms of 1900. 1904 and l90S-specihcal
of call for a change in the constitution whit
ty will put the election OF senators in q
h. hands of the voters. and the proposlti
a has been endorsed by q number of Z
M smaller parties. but no Republican n
lv tional convention has been willing
OF champion the cause Of the people on Il
Is. subject. The subject was ignored by I
IL Republican national convention in l9
IL II was ignored in 1904. and the prope
~ ton was explicitly repudiated in 1s0S.
n the recent Republican national conventiS
ty by a vote OF S6s TO ia. rejected the pla
- ocdor9f,cr tha popular elerfion of spnaft