The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-08-12

| loglcbl cOncluslon ulal must De drawn
from the admission. There is no doubt
whatever that large majority of the
| voters Of the Republican party recog-
nlze the deplorable situation which Mr..
| Taft describes; they recognize that the
| masses have had but little influence
| upon legislation or upon the ad-
minlstration of the government, and
they are beginning to understand
the cause. For generation the Re-
| publican party has drawn its cam.
| palgn funds from the beneficlaries Of
| special legislation Privileges have
been pledged and granted in return for
money contributed to debauch cleo
tlons What can be expected when Of
fetal authority Is turned over TO the
representatives of those who FIRST fur.
nlsh the slnews of war and then reim-
burse themselves out of the pockets Of
the taxpayers?
Fasting In Wilderness Necessary.
SO long as the Republican party re-
mains in power, It is powerless to re-
generate itself It can not attack
ng-dolng In high places without dis
grocIng many of Its prominent mem.
bers, and 1t, therefore, uses oplates In
stead of the surgeons knife Its male
] factors construe each Republican vic
| tory as an endorsement Of their con
duct and threaten the party with de-
feat II they are interfered with. Not
| until that party passes through pc.
| rlod of fasting I'm the wilderness, will
the Republican leaders learn to study
public questions from the standpoint
OF the masses. Just as with individ-
uals, "the cares Of this world and the
deceitfulness Of riches choke the truth, "
so in politics. when party leaders serve
far away from home and are not in
+, constant contact with the voters, con-
| tlnued party success blinds their eyes
to the needs of the people and makes
them deaf to the cry of distress.
Publicity as TO Campaign contribp-
| tons.
| An effort has been made to secure
legislation requiring publicity as to
campaign contributions and expendi-
tures; but the Republican leaders. even
in the face of an indignant public, re-
fused TO consent TO a law which would
compel honesty in elections When the
matter was brought up In the recent
Republican national convention, the
plank was repudiated by vote of $50
to o. Here, too. Mr. Taft has been
driven to apologize for his convention
and TO declare himself in favor of
publicity law; and yet, II you will read
what he says upon this subject, you
VIII find that his promise falls far short
OF the requirements of the situation.
He says:
"If | am elected president, shall
| urge upon congress, with every hope of
success, that law be passed requiring
the filing, in federal Office, of n state
mcnt of the contributions received by
committees and candidates in elections
for members of congress, and in such
ether elections ps are constltutlonally
within the control of congress-"
| | shall not embarrass him by asking
him upon what he bases his hope of
success: 1t Is certainly not on. any en-
couragement he has received from Re,
publican leaders. 1t Is sufficient to say
that II his hopes were reallzed-lf, in
spite Of the adverse action of his con-
venIlon, he should succeed In securing
the enactment Of the very law which
he favors, II would give but partial re-
lief. He has read the Democratic plat.
form; not only his language, but his
evident alarm, indicates that he has
I rN.IIy l., I.F,
him the action Of the Democratic ma
tional committee In Interpreting and
| applying that platform; and yet, he
fails to say that he favors the pubica-
tlon of the contributions before the
| election. OF course, 1t satisfies nat,
ural curiosity TO find out how an elec.
| ton has been purchased. even when
the knowledge comes too late to he of
service, but why should tie people be
kept In darkness until the election is
| past? Why should the locking of the
door be delayed until the horse is gone ?
An Election q Public Affair.
An election is public affair. The
people, exercising the right TO 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 be given for secrecy rs TO the in
: fuences at work? If man, pecun-
iarily interested In concentrating the
control of the railroads in one manage
ment," subscrlbes large sum to aid In
carrying the election, why should his
part In the campaign be concealed un-
ill he has put the officials under obll-
| cation 20 him? If trust magnate
contributes 100000 to elect political
| friends to office, with view to pre-
venting hostile legislation. why should
| that fact be concealed until his friends
| are securely seated In their official po-
sltlons?
This IS not new question; II IS a
question which has been agitated-a
| question which the Republican leaders
| fully understand-a question which the
Republican candidate has studied, and
yet he refuses to declare himself in ia
vor Of the legislation absolutely neces.
sary, namely, legislation requiring pub
lication before the election.
Democratic Party Promises Publicity.
How can the people hope TO rule, IL