Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1908-08-12


read II carefully. He even had before
him the action OF the Democratic na-
uonal committee In interpreting and
applying that platform; and yet. he
falls TO say that he favors the publlca-
ton OF the contributions before the
election. or course. Il satisfies q nat
ural curiosity TO find out how an elec-
ton has been purchased. even when
the knowledge comes too late TO bc OF
service. but why should the people be
Kept I'm darkness until the election is
p2stE Why should the locking OF the
door bc delayed ua;iI the horse IS gone?
An Election a Public Affair.
An election is a public affair The
people, exercising the right 10 select
their officials and to decide upon the
policies TO be pursued. proceed to their
several polling places on election day
and register their will. What excuse
can Se given Tor secrecy as TO the in
huences at work. II a man. pecun-
iarily interested In concentrating the
control of the railroads I'm one manage
ment. subscribes q large sum to aid In
carrying the election. why should his
part In the campaign be concealed Un-
I'll he has put the officials under obli-
CATION 30 him? II trust macnate
contributes 100000 10 elect political
friends 10 Office. with a view to pre-
venting hostile legislation. why should
that fact be concealed until his friends
arc securely seated In their official no
sitions?
This IS not new question: Il Is n
question which has been agitatel-a
question which the Republican leaders
fully underestimate question which the
Republican candidate has studied. and
yet he refuses TO declare himself I'm IA
vor Of the legislation absolutely neces-
saTy. namely. legislation requiring pub
lication before the election
Democratic Party Promises Publicity.
How can the people hope 10 RUE. n
lhcy are not able to learn untn after
the election what the predatory inter
ests are doing? The Democratic party
meets the Issue honestly ana coura
geously. II says:
We pledge the Democratic party to
the enactment Of law prohibiting any
corporation from contributing 10
campaign fund. and any mdiyi luai
from contributing an amount above n
reasonable maximum. and provilin.
for the publication, before election. Of
all such contributions above u reason
able minimum"
The Democratic national committee
Immediately proceeded TO interpret and
apply this plank. announcing that no
4.
corporations. that no individual would
he allowed TO contribute more than
$4,000. and that all contributions
above 500 would be made public he-
fore the election-those received before
October 10 TO be made public on or
before that day, those received after
ward TO he made public on the day
when received. and no such contrlbu-
tlons TO be accepted within three days
OF the election. The expenditures are
10 be published after election. Here
is plan which is complete and eGec-
tive
Popular Election Of Senators.
Next 10 the corrupt use Of money.
the present method OF electiag Uni.ed
States senators Is most responsible for
the obstruction OF reforms. For one
hundred years after the adoption Of
the constitution. the demand for the
popular election OF senators, while find
ing increased expression. did not bc.
come dominant sentiment \ cou-
Stitutional amendment had from time
to time hecn suggested and the matter
had been more or less discussed In 4
few Of the states. but tho movement
had not reached point where it mani
Tested itself through congressional ac-
tion. In the Fifty-second congress.
however, resolution was reported
from Il house committee proposing the
necessary constitutional amendment.
and this resolution passed the house
OF representatives by vote which
was practically unanimous. In the
Fifty-thirl congress 4 similar reSolu..
tion was reported To, and adopted by.
the house OF Representatives. Both
the Flfty-second and Fifty-third con
crosses were Democratic. The Repub.
licanS gained control OF the house rs
result Of the election Of 1894 and in
the Fifty-fourth congress the propoSi-
tion died in committee. AS time went
on. however, the sentiment grew among
the people, until it forced 4 Republican
congress 10 follow the example set 10y
the Democrats, and then another and
another Republican congress acted IA
vorably. State after state has endorsed
this reform. until nearly two-thirds OF
the states have recorded themselves in
its favor. The United States senate.
however, impudently and arrogantly
obStructS the passage OF the resolution.
Notwithstanding the fact that the vot-
ers OF the United States, by an over
whelming majority. demand It, And
this refusal is the more significant
when IL is remembered that number
OF senators owe their election To great
corporate interests. Three Democratic
national platformS-the platforms of
1900, 1904 and 19OS-specificany cali
for change in the constitution which
will put the election OF senators i'm the
hands of the voters. and the PROPOSE
tion has been endorsed by Il number
of the smaller parties. but no Repub-
lican national convention has been
willing TO champion the cause of the
people on this subject The subject
was ignored by the Republican national
convention in 1900: IL was ignored In
1904. and the proposition was explicit
ly repudiated in 1908. for the recent
Republican national convention. by a
vote of sec to ia. rejected the plank