The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-08-21
FIRST OF REFORMS
is TO DO AWAY WITH UBIQUITOUS
SPECIAL PRIVILEGES.
Political Corruption viii Cease When
Voters Unite TO Uphold the
Sound Principles of the Dem
ocratic Party,

The Republican politicians are evi.
IDENTIFY quite anxious that tarin reform
shall not be a paramount issue In this
campaign. Unfortunately there are 30
many Issues that both sides are press.
ing that the allied issue OF the tarin
and the protected trusts is liable to
be overlooked in n great measure, Inc
issue OF corruption Of the voters by
tho money OF the tarin-protected trusts
and other corporations Is and should
be a paramount question, because upon
the purity OF the ballot and honest
elections rest the whole political iab'
rio under our iC-RepublCan
form of government. Fortunately the
political corruption is nearly all on
one side, and with the promise Of pub
licity before election by the Demo
Gratis, the Republican party Is placed
on the defensive and a very poor de-
Tense It can make The Republican
managers are opposed to publicity and
many OF them openly scoft at 1t and
even the best that Candidate TAFT can
promise is publicity after election
II there were no tariff protected
trusts and favored corporations there
would be but little corruption at ma
tlonal elections, for 1t is a fact that
but few large contributions to political
campaign funds are made unless the
contributor is promised some personal
advantage or important position.
Men will spend large sums to be
elected themselves to Office hut arc
not very free in contributing for the
election of others, and the patriots
that contribute from real patriotic mo
tives are few and far between.
Corporations. however are more
easily bled by the political collector
as we have seen in the case of the
large SIMS paid for Republican cam
paIgn funds by the life insurance
managers and what Hartman collect
ed In 1904 from the railroads and Othe
sources at the request Of Presiden
Roosevelt.
In the letter Of Mr. Hartman rccit
ing his services to the Republican
party he boosted that the large sun
he collected was used to corrupt tn
voters of the state Of New York ant
did change $4,000 votes
II is more important 10 know how
the campaign funds are expended thai
who furnished the money and evel
that fact would not expose corruption
unless the money was followed to II
ultimate destination. II is very diff
cult to prove bribery of the voters
even II the money to brine them ha
been traced to the hands Of notoriou
briber.
II there were no protected monoT
olists and corporation managers, VII
are Interested In perpctuating som
special privilege or the secretion c
their way of plundering the people
through conniyance with officials
there would be but little political CO.
ruption. 1t would therefore. seer
that the most important reform is
abolish all special privileges and esp'
cially the present tariff protection I
the trusts. Il is safe TO say that Wit
the tariff reformed to revenue basi
and thus the trusts left helpless
charge more for their products tina
the reasonable profit that competitio
would allow, there would be very sma
contributions from those who now c.
10y virtual monopoly.
Nor would the transportation corp
rations be very eager 10 contribute
help the Republican politicians II Il
law to control them was faithful
and impartially executed
Is It not to the Interest, therefore,
the honest and independent Repu
lican voter who wants 10 see polite
corruption abolished, to Join with Il
Democrats In such reform OF the ia
IN. as well M control ~ the corpor
! tiuns. az will take from them the