The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-09-29
fuences are at work or to let them


luences are at, work or to let them
know after the ELECTION?
Are you willing to say that any
public interest was served In 1904
by concealing until after the election
the contributions made to the Repub-
lican campaign fund by Mr.. Har-
riman and those collected by him
from others?
"Are you willing to say that the
publication before election of. lhe
contributions then made would have
no effect on the election? AS | have
said. we shall publish the names of
contributors above one hundred
dollars. Will you ask your national
committee to publish before the elec-
tion the contributions above one hum
dred dollars? Or if you regard
this as 500 small sum, the contri-
buttons above a thousand dollars, o.
|if this is also too small, the con-
tributions above ten thousand dol
lars? If. not, what reason can you
give to the public for not doing so?
| insist that our willingness to let
the public know the source from
which we receive contributions rails
es presumption in our favor that
must be overcome before you can
ask the people to accept your state
ment that the law-defying corpora
tions have no more. to fear from Re-
publican success than, from Demo-
cratic victory.
Bryan as Good as Taft.
"In conclusion, you say that you
ask support for Mr.. Taft because he
stands for the moral suplift of the
nation; because his deeds have made
good his words and because the
policies to which he is committed
are Of immeasurable consequence
alike to the honor and the interests
of the whole American people.
dare you to compare my efforts for
the moral uplifting of the nation
with the policies to which ] am COM
mitted with the policies (Which
he is committed, and more than that,
II / may assume that he will follow
in your footsteps, I dare to COM
pare my ideal of the Presidency with
him. l do not regard it as proper
for the President to use his prestige,
his influence or his patronage to ale
one member of his party as against
another who aspires to office, and
regard it as violation OF the obll-
CATION that the President owes TO
the whole people to use an ofhce that
belongs to the whole people as q
marty asset for the advancement OF a
nersoral friend and a polltical
nrotege. Believing that the Presl-
dent should not be tempted to use
that power for his own advantage,
and it is equally repugnant to the
spirit of our institutions that ne
should use it for any one else S ao-
yantage-I tried to secure an
amendment to the Constitution lin
itinp the President to a single term,
and I have announced in three cam
paigns that if elected, l would not
he candidate for denomination
believe that the occupant OF 50
high an offige, with such an enor-
NOUS power. at his command, should
be absolutely free to devote himself
unselfishly to his country's welfare
and ] am sanguine 'enought to beiiefe
that entrusted with the power,
would be able to make my admins
tration SO successful that the mem
bers of my party could, without IN
terference from me, select the one
most worthy to carry on the Worh
begun by me-so successful that III"
administration would not be neces-
sary for me to defend it in bulletins
or pronunciamentos. / think could,
| in this way, give to the members OIL
the opposite party as we'll as to the
members of my own party, square
deal. Very truly yours,
.'W. J. Bryan.