Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-08-12

sitions?
 This is not a new question; it is a question which has been agitated-a i question which the Republican leaders fully understand "a question which the Republican candidate has studied, and yet he refuses to declare himself in fa- vor of the legislation absolutely neces- [ sary. namely, legislation requiring pub lication before the election. Democratic Party Promises Publicity.
 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 l meets the issue honestly and coura- geously. It says;
 "We pledge the Democratic party to the enactment of 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 all such contributions above 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 l S1O.O0O. and that all contributions above $10O would be made public be- fore the election-those received before I October 15 to be made public on or before that day, those received after
 ward to be made public on the day
 when received. and no such contribu- tions to be accepted within three days of the election. The expenditures are 1 to be published after election. Here is plan which is complete and effec- tive.
 Popular Election of Senators.
 Next to the corrupt use of money. the present method of electing United States senators is most responsible for the obstruction of reforms. For one hundred years after the adoption of the constitution. the demand for the popular election of senators, while find ing increased expression, did not be- come a dominant sentiment. A con- stitutional 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 mani- fested itself through congressional ac- ton. In the Fifty-second congress,
 however, a resolution was reported necessary constitutional amendment, and this resolution passed the house of representatives by q vote which
 was practically unanimous. Tn the
 Fifty-third congress a similar resolu-
 tion was reported to. and adopted by,
 the house of representatives. Both
 the Fifty-second and Fifty-third con- gresses were Democratic. The Repub-
 licans gained control of the house as a result of the election of 1894 and in
 the Fifty-fourth congress the proposi-
 tion died in committee. AS time went on. however, the sentiment grew among the people. until 1t forced Republican
 congress to follow. the example set by
 the Democrats, and then another and
 another Republican congress acted fa-
 vorably. State after state has endorsed
 this reform. until nearly two-thirds of
 the states have recorded themselves in
 its favor. The United States senate,
 however, impudently and arrogantly
 obstructs the passage of the resolution.
 notwithstanding the fact that the vot-
 CTS of the United States, by an over
 whelming majority. demand 1t. And
 this refusal is the more significant
 when 1t is remembered that number
 of senators owe their election to great
 corporate interests. Three Democratic
 national platforms the platforms of
 1900. 1904 md 19fS-specifically call , for a change in the constitution which
 will put the election of senators in the
 hands of the voters. and the proposi-
 tion has been endorsed by number
 of the smaller parties. but no Repub- , lican national convention has been willing to champion the cause of the
 people on this subject. The subject
 was ignored by the Republican national
 convention in 1900: 1t was ignored in
 1904. and the proposition was explicit
 ly repudiated in 1908. for the recent Republican national convention. by a
 vote of SG6 to IA. rejected the plank
 endorsing the popular election of sena-
 tors-and this was done in the cOnven- ! ton which nominated Mfr. Taft. few delegates from his own state voting for the plank.
 ! Personal Inclination Not Sufficient. In his notification speech. the Repub. Iican candidate. speaking Of the cleo ton of senators by the people. says:
 Personally. I an inclined to favor 1t : but 1t is hardly a party question: What Is necessary to make this party question: When the Democratic con- - vention endorses a proposition by a : unanimous vote. and the Republican convention rejects the proposition by a vote of seven to one. does 1t not be- ; come an issue between the parties? ] Mir. Taft can not remove the question - from the arena of politics by express ,. ing q personal inclination toward the Democratic position. For several years he has been connected with the administration. What has be ever . said or done to bring this question be- fore the public? What enthusiasm has he shown in the reformation of tbe sanatas What fnf7uence couid he