Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1908-07-19
Taft Follows Mr. Bryan in De-
cIining to Receive Contrlbu-
tons From Law Created Ag-
gregations of Wealth,
REPUBLICAN WILL OBEY
NATIONAL ELECTION LAW
Candidate inclined to Doubt
Power of Mr. GomperS to De-
liver Labor Vote to Demo-
cratic Ticket.
Ip, Morning journal special Leased wlrsI

BJ Morning Journal Special leased WirsI
Hot springs Va, July lS.--The ma
tional republican committee will ac-
cept no contributions from corpora
tions said Judge William II Taft.
presidential candidate Of the repub-
lican party, today and In an interview
he also referred to labor, prohibition
and other questions MIR raft said
that not only would the law OF New
York state, providing for the publicity
of campaign contributions. be obeyed
by the national republican commit
tee, but the federal law prohibiting
such contributions by corporations Ia
connection with the election Of presi-
dent vice president, representatives or
senators, would be obeyed without re-
gard 70 any question OF validity that
-misht arise in respect 10 any proVis-
ions of that law. Answering ques-
tions as to the application of the ma
tlonal law to contributions for the
election Of presidential electors, Mr
Tart said that the law would be obey
ed exactly as 1t was passed by con-
gress.
AS to the right Of labor leader to
attempt 80 influence the votes of
members of the organization OF
which he is head, Mr.. TAFT at first
laughingly said that that was "a ques-
tion of proprety upon which he was
not sufficiently informed to discuss.
When asked as to his idea of the pow
80 az the leader ot a labor urganiza-
tlon to throw its vote 10 one party or
another. he declared that IN his opiu-
ion II could be predicted that there is
no so-called class OF the electorate
whose votes could be delivered by its
leaders.
He said that after eliminating
members of both political parties from
a labor organization the expression Of
a leader might Indicate how the re-
naming uncertain quantity might vote
in the election, but he declared that
Just as Is the case generally In dealing
with any so-called class Of citizens.
before expression could be given of
the nature OF their vote it would be
necessary to eliminate the members OF
one or the other political party. The
question calling forth this state
ment referred to President Samuel
Gompers, of the American Federation
of Labor, but Mr. Taft avoided MAX
ing any personal reference 60 MIR.
Gompers or any other leader of or
ganized labor.
Asked whether he would have any
new remedy to offer for the so-called
trust problem In his speech of accept
ance, he replied that he did not know
of anything new that he could add to
"A question that had been so widely
and stated that he would
have nothing to say on that matter
outside OF what he had said at vari-
Gus times In his public utterances. Mr.
Tafts attention was called today 10
Of some OF the journals rep
resenting the liquor interests, that he
is opposed to prohibition. He eX-
planned that he had never publicly dis
cussed the ethical side of the prohibit
tion question, and he took the view
as he understood Mr.. Bryan had done,
that the prohibition issue was not in
volved in the national campaign.
From what had come to his attention
In respect TO the representations of
these journals he inferred that they
had based their statements on
speeches he had made in which he
criticised the action Of some state leg
Islatures in passing prohibition and
other laws without providing the ma
rhincry for enforcing them.
senator Bourne. OF oregon. arrived
here late last night but did not sea
Mr. Taft today.