Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1908-06-06
ALL WANT PUBLICITY
or CAMPAIGN FUNDS
Both Candidates Are For Publicity
and No Doubt Legislation win
BE Adopted.

~sf1 - @~s1e @~As@t@ktbtt WIN
BE Adopted.
Washington. d. G.. June 4.--Llttie
by little. the story is leaking out Of
the matter of publicity for campaign
contributions The story Is good
one. Presidential politics played IN
important part In It. the net result
being that both William Jennings Bry-
an and William Howard Taft made
their positions In the matter perfectly
Iplain to the American people.
Several weeks ago when vigorous
effort was making TO induce congress
to enact legislation providing for the
publication OF all contributions TO ma
tional campaign. Perry Belmont. Of
New York. who has been pressing the
measure mistakenly, met Secretary
Taft at dinner. In the course or
their conversation. Mr.. Belmont In
qulred, quite casually. as to M.
Taft's views on the proposed lesisla-
ltion.
Il am heartily in favor OF IT, ra-
lplied the secretary. ~~g~----'
why could you not write letter.
Isay to Senator Burrows OF MichIgan,
ichairman Of the committee on privi-
'i..esses and elections, setting out your
views and perhaps urging the enact
Iment OF the leeislation?' suggested
lMr. Belmont. 9Y1TfVyH
| "f'H write such letter tomorrow"
Responded the secretary. And he ala.
THE letter was marked personal be-
cause. as candidate, the secretary
did not want to be put In the position
Of advocating legislation that might
affect his campaign to the unfair det-
riment Of that Of anybody else.
/ William e. Chandler, former geria,
Itor from New Hampshire, heard about
1.-THE letter to Senator Burrows and DE-
sired to see It. He sought ont tho
Michigan senator and asked him
about the letter. Burrows declined to
show him the letter, On the ground
that 1t was. purely personal conn,u-
nicatlon. That statement led Chandler
to believe that the letter was eyasive
and that. while the secretary perhaps
was In favor OF publicity, he was In
favor of it only after next falls egec-
tons. -. - slN0Df
Chandler whispered his opinion to
somebody and that somebody commu-
nieated With Mr.. Bryan. The alters
famous telegram to Secretary TAFT.
| suggesting that they, Join hands Id
favor Of paDftsity; followed immediate
|Iy. Then It was ttsxt Secretary, TAN
made public his letter ID senator Bur
rows The letter was a str6ug state
ment In favor Of the enactment OF the
publicity BILL. straightforward and nat
footed
i It now develops that both Secretary
Taft and Mr.. Bryan urged their
friends In congress to enact the, pub-
licity measure at the recent session;
but, in the circumstances. 1t could not
be gotten through. A majority in the
congress undoubtedly is In favor Of
the proposition. but after considering
the question thoroughly. the republl-
can leaders In both branches OF inc
congress decided that 1t would not be
advisable to attempt to enact such q
bill at this time, right on the eve OF
campaign. A good many of the
members OF congress. both repubIi-
cans and democrats. were not in favor
of the proposed legislation Just now,
although IL it had COME to a vote the
democrats practically solidly would
have supported It.
The question Ii not likely to be an
issue in the approaching campaign.
because the two leading candidates
for the presidency have declared their
positions and. on that question. they
do not differ. That such a law event
EualIy will be enacted. there - littac
doubt. as 1t Is realized fully that the
masses Of the people are in favor Of
IL