New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-10-01
THE SHEEP AND THE COATS.

In what Nj BRYAN has been saying recently
about campaign contributions there Is large
amount Of solemn nonsense. The Democratic
candidate tries IN give the impression that his
campaign managers have received and viii re
oaiv-a no tainted" rnoney-that Is. money
given bv anybody connected with corporations
and trusts II sounds viTtuOus TO denounce
the acceptance Of subscription from any per
son connected with a corpora ton and Mr..
Rrran sneers at Governor Hughes because
among those who made personal contributions
to his campaign fund in 1906 were certain
prominent New Workers who have figured
largely in the management of corporations. Al
though Mr. BRYAN does not say so clearly he
evidently wants II to he understood that as q
candidate for office he would decline the aid.
financial or other of anybody associated with
2 corporation as an officer bondholder, stock
holder attorney or employe-
Sucb an attitude is of course so ultrs-virt1-
ors as 10 be ridiculous. It involves setting up
2 standard recognized neither in law nor IN
morals Ours Is government Of equal rights,
and il is fantastic to say that one individual
should he allowed 70 give money to help along
= noIiticaI cause in which he is interested and
another should be forbidden to do so, the dis
elimination resting solely on the fact that the
one has not and the other has q salary or an in
come derived in part from the treasury Of a
corporation
The laws which have heen put the statute
hook governing subscriptions for political pur-
poses recognize no such distinction. and they
would constitute p8lpable class legislation if
they did. They were intended 10 stop the
abuse Of corporation interference in politics.
The corporation is an artificial person with
limited rights and the right 70 take part in
political contests can properly be withheld. It
had often happened too that money sub
scribed by the officers and directors of corpora
lions belonged in part 70 individuals who were
never consulted as 70 the subscriptions and
who would probably have opposed making
them The actual subscribers were thus voting
away other peoples money. It was 4 real re
form in business and politics to forbid corpora
tons. IS such. 10 make contributions for po-
HticaI purposes. But no Law has ever been
drawn. or is ever likely to ne drawn. TO create
distinctions between individuals and 10 deny
10 one class Of voters the right 70 contribute
and work for party a candidate because
they happen TO be employed by q corporation
or 10 hold some Of its securities. Is every
Democrat now helping TO elect Mr.. Bryan to
be REQUIRED 10 prove that he has no connection
with q corporation ana no income from one. on
pain of being exposed as an undesirable sup
porter
We notice that this painful inquiry has forced
the editor Of The Charleston News and Cou-
rier' lie laments that the Democrats Of South
Carolina have studied Mr.. Bryan's precepts too
closely and deferred from subscribing to
the Bryan campaign fund by the fear that they
might be publicly rebuked as tainted con
tributors- says the clear-sighte1 Charleston
editor:
In discussing campaign contributions Mr.
Bryan has lately suggested that the Steel Trust
while not mourning liability to prosecution bv
contributing 10 the Republican fund. in It's cor
rO-ate capacity, has contributed through its
officials and others interested in II who have
personally sent large sums Of money to the Re
publican committee. Mr.. Bryan has made II
plain that these corporation rascals are thus
evading the law, violating its intent by a most
base sUbterfuge.
In South Carolina the corporation Democrats
are far superior in their moral concepts 70 the
Republican Steel Trust devils. Numerous Soltn
Carolina Democrats, many thousands of them
are cor porationlsts, holders Of from one TO on.
thousand shares Ia the bank Ia the village OF
Potato Hin, or ia the cotton mill. oil mill. iron
foundry, Incorporated store, warehouse planning
mill building and loan company fertilizer com