Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1908-08-13
1efciaries of special legislatie

oefciaries of special legislation.
Privileges have been pledged and
granted in return for money contribu-
ted to debauch elections. What can
be expected when official authority is
turned over to the representatives of
those who first furnish the siuews of
wal n then reimburse themselves
out OF the pockets of the taxpayersoa
Fasting in Wilderness Necessary.
So long as the Republican party re-
mains in power, it is powerless to re,
generate itself. 1t can o attack
~disgracing many of it's prominent
members, and it, therefore, uses OPT
ates instead of the surgeons knife.
It's ~malefactors construe each Repub-
lican victory as an endorsement of
their conduct and threaten the party
with defeat if they are interfered
with. Not until that party passes
through a period of fasting in the
wilderness, will the Republican lead
from the standpoint Of the masses.
Just as with individuals, 1.-The cares of
this world and the deceitfulness Of
the riches choke the truth" so in pol
itics, when party leaders serve far
away from home and are not in on
slant contact with the voters, contin-
ued party blinds their eyes
to the needs of the people and makes
them deaf to the cry of distress.
Publicity as to Campaign Contribu-
tons. -
An effort has been made to secure
legislation requiring publicity as to
campaign contributions and expendi-
lures; but the Republican leaders,
even in the face of an indignant pub
lie, refused to consent to a law which
would compel honesty in elections.
When the matter was brought up in
the recently Republican national con-
vention, the plank was repudiated by
a vote of $50 to "a. Here, too Mr..
Taft has been driven to apologize for
his convention and to declare himself
in favor of a publicity law; and yet, if
you will read what he says upon this
subject, you will find that his promise
falls far short of the requirements of
the situation. He says:
eff I am elected president, I shall
urge upon congress, with every hope
of success, that a law be passed re-
qufring the filing, in a Federal Office,
of a statement of the contributions re-
ceIved by committees and candidates
in elections for members of congress,
and in such other elections as are o n
stitutionally within the control of con-
reSS."
[ shall not embarrass him by asking
him Upon what he bases Tfis hope of
success; it is certainly not on any en-
enlargement lie has received from Re
publican leaders. It is sufficient to
say that if his hopes were realized
if, in spite, of the adverse action of his
convention, he should succeed in Sc
curing the enactment OF the cry law
which he favors, it would give but
partial relief. He has read the Dem
ocratic platform; not only bis IAN
guage, buy- his evident alarm, indi-
Gates that heehas7 read it carefully. He
even had before him the action of the
Democratic national committee, in in
terpreting and'appIying trat platform;
and yet, he fails to say that he favors
the publication of the contributions
before the election. OF course, it sat
isles a natural curiosity to find out
how an election has been purchased,
even when the knowledge comes toe
late to be of service, but why should
the 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 a Public Affair
An election Isl a public affair. The
people, exercising the right to select
their officials and to decide upon the
policies to be- pursued, proceed te
their several polling places on cleo
ton day and register their VIII Wha
excuse can be given for secrecy as tt
the inf1uencessa at work? If a man, pc
cuniarily interested in Concentrating
the control Of the railroads in ont
management" subscribes a large sun
to aid in carrying the election, VIII.
should his part in the campaign b.
concealed until he has put the official
under obligation to him? If a trus
magnate contributes 100000 to cleo
political friends to office, with a v1eV
to preventing hostile legislation, VIII,
should that. fact be concealed unit
his friends are securely seated i
their official positions?
This is not a new question; it is
question which has been agitated-
a question which the Republican leat
ers fully understands questio
: which the Republican candidate ha
|. studied, and yet he refuses to declar
himself in favor of the legislation a.
~solutely necessary, namely, legislatio
requiring publication before the ele
ton.