Arizona republican., 1908-08-13
PLATFORM PHASES HIM
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granted in return for money contrlbut- ed to debauch elections. What can be expected when official authority is turned over to the representatives of those who first furnished the sinews of war and then reimburse themselves out of the pockets of the taxpayers?
 So long as the republican party re- mains in power it is powerless to re- generate itself. It can not attack wrong-doing in high places, without disgracing nhny of its prominent members. and it, therefore, uses Opi- ates instead of the surgeons knife. Its malefactors cOnstrue each republi- can victory as an endorsement of their conduct and threaten the party with defeat if they are interfered with. Not until that party passes through a pc riod of fasting in the wilderness, will the republican leaders learn to study public questions from the standpoint of the masses. Just as with individ- uals, the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the truth so in politics, when party lead CTS serve far away from home and are not in constant contact with the voters, continued party success blinds their eyes to the needs of the people and makes them deaf to the cry of dis tress.
 CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS
 An effort has been made to secure legislation requiring publicity as to campaign contributions and expendi- lures; but the republican leaders, even in the face of an indignant public, re- fused to consent to law which would compel honesty in elections. When the matter was brought up in the re- cent republican national convention, the plank was repudiated by a vote of SSO to 94. Here, too, MT Taft has been driven to apologize for his convention and to declare himself in favor of a publicity law; and yet if you will read what he says upon this subject. you win find that his promise falls far short of the requirements of the situa- tion. He says:
 If I am elected president, I shall urge upon congress, with every hope of success, that a law be passed re- quiring the filing, in federal office. of a statement of the contributions re- ceived by committees and candidates in elections for members of congress, and in such other elections as are con- stitutionally within the control of con gress
 I shall not embarrass him by asking him upon what he bases his hope of success; it is certainly not on any en- couragement he has received from re- publican leaders. It is sufficient to say that if his hopes were realized if. in spite of the adverse action of his convention, he should succeed in securing the enactment of the very law which he favors, it would give but partial relief. He has read the demo- cratic platform; not only in language, but his evident alarm, indicates that he has read it carefully. He even had before him the action of the democrat ic national committee in interpreting and applying that platform; and yet. he fails to say that he favors the pub licatiOn of the contributions before the election. Of course, it satisfies a natural curiosity to find out how an election has been purchased, even when the knowledge comes too late to be of service. but why should the peo- pie be kept in darkness until the cleo tiOn is past2 Why should the locking of the door be delayed until the horse is gone?
 AN ELECTION A PUBLIC AFFAIR.
 An election is a public affair The people, exercising the right to select their officials and to decide upon the policies to be pursued, proceed to their several polling places on election day and register their will. What excuse can be given for secrecy as to the in fluences at work? If a man, pecuniari- ly interested in concentrating the con- trol of the railroads in one manage ment," 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 obligation to him2 If a trust magnate contributes S1OO,00O 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 po- sitions2
 This is not Q new question; it is a question which has been agitated-a question which the republican leaders fully Understand-a question which the republican candidate has studied, and yet he refuses to declare himself in favor of the legislation absolutely nec- essary, namely, legislation requiring publication before the election.
 PROMISES OF DEMOCRACY
 How can the people hope to rule, if they are not able to learn until after the election what the predatory inter- ests are doing? The democratic party meets the issue honestly and courage ously. It says:
 We pledge the democratic party to the enactment of a law prohibiting any corporation from contributing to al campaign fund, and any individual from contributing an amount above a | reasonable maximum, and providing for the publication. before election, of all such contributions above a reason able minimum"
 The democratic national committee | immediately proceeded to interpret and | apply this plank. announcing that no l contributions would be received from | corporations, tIiat no individual would | be allowed to contribute more than Sl0,O00, and that all contributions | above $100 would be made public be- | fore the election-those received before | October 15 to be made public on or before that day, those received after | ward to be made public on the day |