Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-08-13

i1SdliIH " HlIli. IL Il trust HIdgllIC6
contributes 100000 to elect political
friends TO Office. with a view To pre-
venting hostile legislation why should
that fact be concealed until his friends
are securely seated in their Official DO
Sitions?
This Is not new question; it is q
question which has been agitated--a
question which the Republican leaders
fully understand-a question which the
Republican candidate has studied, and
yct he refuses to declare himself ia
laNor OF the legislation absolutely nee
csSary. namely, legislation requiring
Publication before election.
4loW can the people hope to rule, il
they are not able to learn until after
tio election what the predatory inter-
.SIs are doing? The Democratic party
meets the issue honestly and courage
ou>ly. 1t says:
We pledge the Democratic party to
the enactment OF i law prohibiting any
corporation from contributing to a
campaign fund, and any individual
from contributing an amount above a
reasonable maximum, and providing
for the publication, before election. of
Ill such contributions above a reason
able minimum"
The Democratic national committee
immediately proceeded to interpret and
apply this plank, announcing that no
contributions would be received from
corporations, that no Individual would
be allowed To contribute more than $1O,-
600, and that all contributions above
m II ,v,I;
the election-thoSe received before oct
ID to be made public on or before that
day, those received afterwards to be
made public on the day when received,
and no such contributions to be ac-
cepted within three days of the cleo
ton. The expenditures are to be pub
lished after the election. Here is q
plan which is complete and effective.
Next 70 the corrupt use of money,
the present method Of clectinS United
States senators is most responsible for
the obstruction of reforms. For 100
years after the adoption of the consti-
tuition, the demand for the popular
election of senators, while finding in
creased expression, did not become Il
dominant sentiment. A constitutional
amendment had from time to time been
suggested and the matter had been
more or less discussed in few of the
states, but the movement had not
reached point where it manifested
itself through congressional action. In
the SD Congress, however. a resolution
was reported from House committee
proposing the necessary constitutional
amendment, and this resolution passed
the House of Representatives by a vote
which was practically unanimous: In
the SD Congress similar resolution
was reported to, and adopted by, the
House Of Representatives. Both the
go and SD Congresses We're Dcmocra-
tic. The Republicans gained control of
the House as a result Of the election Of
1894 and in the 54th Congress the prop
OsitiOn died in committee. AS time
went on, however. the sentiment grew
among the people, until it forced Il Re-
publican Congress to follow the exam
pie set by the Democrats, and then an
other and another Republican Congress
acted Favorable. State after state has
endorsed this reform, until nearly two
thirds OF the states have recorded
themselves in its favor. The United
states Sc,late, however. impudently
and arro2artly obstru~ts the passage
of the r. solution. Notwithstanding the
fact that the voters of the United
States. by an overwhelming majority
demard it. And this refusal is the
more significant when it is RENE lbered
that number of senators owe Their
election to great corporate interests
Three Democratic national Platforms
~ M,
call for IL change in the constitution
which will put the election Of SEN
:ttorS in the hands of the Votors,
and tt proposition has been endorsed
by Il number of the smaller PARTIES,
but no Republican national convention
has been willing to champion the cause
of the people on this subject. TIE sub
ject Was ignored by the Republican
national convention in 1900; ii was iG
nOrcd in 1904. and the proposition was
explicitly rcpudiatcd in 1908, for the re-
cent Republican national convention,
by vote of S66 to ia, rejected the
plank endorsing the popular election Of
senatGrS--and this was done in tnc con-
ventlon which nominated Mr.. Taft. few
delegates from his own state voting
for the plank.
III his notification speech, the Repub-
lican candidate, speaking of the cleo
ton Of senators, by the people. says:
"PersonalIy. | am inclined to favor it,,
but it is hardly party question. =
What is necessary to make this par
ty question? When tie Democratic con-
vcntion endorses proposition by IL
unanimous vote. and the Republican
convention rejects the proposition by IL
vote of seven to one. does it not become
an issue between the parties? Mr.. Taft
can not remove the question from the
arena OI politics by expressing q per-
So!ial inclination toward the Democrat
tic position. For several years he has
been connected with the administration.
What has he ever said or done to bring
this question before the public What
enthusiasm has he shown IN the refor-
nation Of the Senate2 What influence
could he exert ir behalf of reform
which his party has openly and notori-
ousiy noul .mncl III its convention, and
to which he is attached only by be-
lated expression of personal inclina-
ton
Shall the people rule?" Every remc-
lial measure of a national character