Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-02
BRYAN SCORES
TAFT'S STAND ON
CONTRIBUTIONS
SHOWS "ME TOO" ATTITUDE
OF HIS OPPONENT
coMMONER CALLS 1T INSULT TO
INTELLIGENT VOTERS
Publication of Amounts Received and
Sources from Whence They Come
Show Which Candidate Pred
atory Corporations Support
rnu Associated Press. ]


II INCOLN, Neb., Oct. 1.-Declaring
that every disilIterested voter
IL knows that large contributions
have been used to secure mortgages
upon officials" w. j. Bryan tonight
issued at Fairview a statement crltl-
cising the adoption by William II.
Taft, his Republican opponent Tor pres
ident, of President Rooseyelt's an
nounced view on the subject OF pub
licity of campaign contributions.
"Mr. Taft" says Mr.. Bryan, now
makes the same charge the president
does, that astounding charge, that the
voters are so liable to be misled that
the knowledge Gas to the amounts and
sources of campaign contributlons)
must be kept from :hem. d
Mr.. Bryan adds:
'I insist that this is an insult to
the intelligence of the voter and 1t
does little credit to Mr.. Taft's Judg-
ment of the men to whom he is max
ing his appeal"
In his statement Mr.. Bryan said:
Surprised at Taft
"I am surprised to find that Mr..
Taft indorses the presidents view on
the subject of publicity OF contrlpu-
cions, but since he holds these views,
I am glad that he makes them known
1--WE know publicity before the cleo
ton as to his opinion even II he does
not believe in publicity Of contribu-
tions until after the election.
He fails to see the difference between
the publication of contributions before
election and the publication of ex-
penditures before election. The pub
iication of expenditures Is required to
show whether corrupt methods nave
been employed in the election, ana as the
expenditures continue up to the close OF
al y trYnYl lnC
a complete publication until after cleo
ton. The publication of campaign
funds ought to be before election; the
main cause Is to show the sources from
which the contributions come in order
/ that the public may know which party
| predatory interests are supporting.
Everyone who knows human nature
| knows that the element of gratitude
must always be considered in human
| affairs.
Mortgaged Officials
"Ingratitude has been described as
worse sin than revenge, for ingratitude
| repays good with evil while revenge
only repays evil with evil. Every dis
| interested voter knows that large con-
tributions have been used to secure
mortgages upon officials. The publica-
tions of contributions throws a great
deal more light upon the influence at
work in politics than the publication OF
expenditures, for the publlcatlon OF
contributions shows to whom the party
is indebted and to whom repayment is
likely to be made, while the publica-
| tion of expenditures shows what has
been paid out, and disbursements do
not create obligations that AFFECT the
course of the administration
"Mr. Taft says that the proper object
of a. publicity law is to prevent THE use
of money for bribery and other i'm
| IN a1aOfiOnG and t0
able the law officers of the govern
ment and the public to determine
whether contributions made were
properly expended for legitimate pur-
| poses, and he adds:
"'The requirement that the names
and amounts Of the persons contribut-
| ing should also be shown is for the
purpose of enabling the public and
| the prosecuting officers of the gov
ernment to judge whether subsequent
official action has been improperly af-
| fected in favor of the contributors by
the successful candidates.
Indorses President
"This, he says, can all be accom-
| plished by publication after the cleo
ton. He then proceeds to indorse the
position taken by the president declar-
| ing that the chief object of the pub
| lication of contributions before the
| election IS tnar IL makes ceTldln lIldC
in the heat of the controversy the me-
tiyes of those who contribute to pay
| the legitimate expenses of the cam
palgn will be misconstrued, perverted
and misrepresented.
"The candidates, he also insists. in
whose behalf the contributions are
made would be charged in the most
unfair way as being completely under
| the control of those who make tho
contributions.
Here he makes the same charge that
the president does, the astounding
| charge, that the voters are so liable to
be nisled that the knowledge must be
kept from them. / insist that it is an
insult to the intelligence of the voters
and 1t does little credit to Mr.. Tafts
judgment of the men to whom he is
making his appeal Mr.. Roosevelt
may have made this statement
thoughtlessly and on the impulse of
| the moment, but Mr.. Taft brings the
same indictment against the voters
| with deliberation, and after he has
read criticism of the presidents IS
views. 1t is fair to charge therefore
1 that Mr.. Taft is either expecting to re-
ceive contributions which would arouse
suspicion among intelligent people or
contributions which would arouse an
/ unjust suspicion among a people too
ignorant to form a correct judgment
upon the facts"
| ---o-S-<p--