Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-10-02

are made will be charged in the Nest
unfair way as being completely under
the control of thos, who make the
contributions
LnocY> climates voters' Intelligence.
here he makes the same charge
that the Pr .cident does. the astornd-
ing charge that the voters are Sd
liable to be misled that The knowl-
edge must be kept from them. l in
sis, that 1t Is an iusuft ID the intel
lig nee of the voters. and 1t does III
tie credit to Mr.. Taft's opinion CT the
men to whom he is making his ap-
peal. President Roosevelt may have
male his Statement, .hou:;htlessly and
on the impuls, of the moment. pat
Mr.. Taft brings the same indictment
against the yc.ers with deliberaticn'
and after he has read criticism Q.
the Presidents views.
Expects Questionable Contributions.
1T is fair to charge therefore. that
Mr.. Taft is either expecting to re-
ceiye contributions which Woal'
arouse suspicion amcng an int IL
sert people. or contributions which, Il
known would arouse an unjust su3-
picion among a people too ignorant
to finn a correct judgment upon M
facts. Thi: IS an evasion which ne
can neither retract ncr excus'. IL
can only be explained by conscious
ness tina, Republican campaign me'h'
cds will not bear the light. and that
il worlI be dangerous to his party II
the public knew b fore the eiectoh
what he premises to make public al
ter the electicn
Wouldn't Discourage Worthy Sonors'
His subsequent argument that In
notification before election Of the
names and amounts contributed
would discourage those who desire II
ccntribrte 10 the legitimate purposes
CT The campaign. by exposing them
to the bitter diairiabes OF unfair at
tacks or slandercus condemnation o'
rar.isars in an electoral fight, ough'
to have little weight when II is con
sid red that such publications will be
efficacio2s in discouraging those WIZ
new desire 10 contribute to iilegttf
mae expenses. anG for the purpose
of putting officials under obligations
70 them. While publication after tn
election may enable Is 20 judge
whether official action has been i'm
properly affected. in favor Ct the con
tr;bufcrs BY tn successful CARL
dale this is CT very small value com
pared with the benefit - be derived
from the publication Of contributions
be:ore election.
THE D opIc have a RICH: to form
their opinions as TO the Influenced
which are al work They do not nee
a guardian to protect them from tn
misuse of their own knowledge:
IN Y ough, not 20 he required to hire
detectives to fnG on; what the Off
ciais are doing after the election.
.yr Taft knows that a great many
matters come before Legislators. IN
which II is difficult II nc impo:rf'
BILE. for the average voter to investi.
gate the facts.
People Ought to Know.
The people have a rish, 10 know
In advance Of eicctisn VII eihe- these
With special rights to look after are
contributing larger Than public spir'
II pa riotic motives ana general In
terest would explain. ". for instance
, c,ud;datc for coycruo- IL 1ix- 10
have to pass upon railroad iesisia'
tisn. the people have = right "a
know whether mrn largely interested
In prev ming railroad legisiaJ ioa
have contributed literally tn his ram.
psign fund. u msn aspi-cs 20 an
ofhcc in which. u elected. he vii
have TO PAS upon antitrust icSisIa'
ten. u ~ righs thu the public shoIif
know VIA; tTus, ssaxnac g. are naanc.
ing his campaign Ard 20 " a man
" q candidate for an ofics ~hirs