Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-08-12

drew his inspiration from three Demo.
cratic national platforms and he re.
ceived more cordial support from the
Democrats than from the Republicans
The Republicans in the senate deliber-
ately defeated several amendments Of
ferred by Senator La Toilette and sup.
ported by the Democrats-amendme
embodying legislation asked by the In
terstate Commerce Commission. One
of these amendments authorized the
ascertainment Of the value OF rail
roads. This amendment was not only
defeated by the senate, but 1t was over
whelmingly rejected by the recent Re
publican national convention, and the
Republican candidate has sought to res
cue his party from the disastrous re-
suits of this act by expressing him
self, in qualified way, In favor Of
ascertaining the value of the railroads.
Over. issue Of Stocks and Bonds.
| Mr.. Taft complains Of the over-issue
of stocks and bonds Of railroads, "for
the unlawful ,enriching Of directors
and for the purpose Of concentrating
the control Of the railroads under one
management" and the complaint is
| we'll founded. But, with president to
point out the evil, and Republican
| congress to correct it, we find nothing
done for the protection Of the public.
Why? My honorable opponent has, by
| his confession, relieved me Of the ne
cessity Of furnishing proof; he admits
logical conclusion that must be drawn
from the admission. There is no doubt
whatever that large majority Of the
! voters Of the Republican party recog-
nize the deplorable situation which Mr..
| Taft describes; they recognize that the
masses have had but little influence
upon legislation or upon the adj
mlnistration Of the government, and
they are beginning to understand
| the cause. For generation the Re-
publican party has drawn its cam
| paign funds from the beneficiaries OF
special legislation. Privileges have
been pledged and granted in return for
money contributed to debauch cleo
tons. What can be expected when OF.
| fetal authority is turned over to the
representatives Of those who FIRST fur
nish the sinews Of war and then reim-
burse themselves out Of the pockets OF
the taxpayers?
Fasting In Wilderness Necessary.
So long as the Republican party re-
mains i'll power, 1t is powcrless to re-
generate itself. 1t Gun not attack
wrong-doing IL high places without dis
gracing many of its prominent mem
bers, and it, therefore. uses opiates in.
stead OF the surgeons knife. Its male
factors construe each Republican vic.
tory as an endorsement Of their con.
duct and threaten the party With de-
| feat IL they are interfered with. Not
until that party passes through n pc.
Rod of fasting in the wilderness, will
| the Republican lenders learn to study
public questions from the standpoint
Of the masses Just as with individ-
uals. 1.-The cares of this world and the
deceitfulness of riches choke the truth. =
SO In politics. when party leaders serve
| far away from home and are not In
constant contact with the voters, con.
tinued party success blinds their eyes
| to the needs OF the people and makes
them deaf to the cry o. distress.
| Publicity a. to Campaign contribu-
tions.
l An effort has been made to secure
legislation requiring publicity as to
4 campaign contributions and expendi.
lures: but the Republican leaders even
in the face oe an indignant public. re-.
fused to consent to law which would
compel honesty in elections. When the
matter was brought UP in the recent
Republican national convention. the
plank was repudiated by vote of $50
to "a. Here. too. Mr.. Taft has been
driven to apologize for his convention
and to declare, himself in favo- Of a
publicity law: and vet, il you will read
what he says upon this subject, YOU
VIII find that his promise falls far short
OF. the requirements Of the situation.
He says:
"If am elected president. ! shall
urge upon congress. with every hope o.
success. that law be passed requiring
the fling, in federal Office, OF a state.
ment OF the contributions received by
committees and candidates in elections
| for members OF congress. and in such
other elections as are constftut;onally
within the control OF congress"
| shall not embarrass him by asking
him upon what he bases his hope Of
success; 1t is certainly not on any en-
couragement he has received from Re
publican leaders. 1t Is sufficient to say
that II his hopes were realized-if. in
spite Of the adverse action OF his con-
vention, he should succeed in securing
the enactment of the very law which
be favors, 1t would give but partial re-
lief. He has read the Democratic plat.
torn; not only his language, but his
evident alarm. indicates that he has
read it carefully. He even had before
| him the action Of the Democratic ma
tional committee in interpreting and
applying that platform; and yet, he
fails to say that he favors the publica-
ton of the contributions before the
election. OF course, 1t satisfies nat
ural curiosity to find out how an cleo
ton has been purchased, even when
oo,,,oc ton Io%n fn Ho nf