The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-15
PUBLICITY LEGISLATION.

| Like the welcome appearance of
rift in storm clouds comes the an
lnouncement from Washington that the
chances are now good for the passage
of legislation which will give publicity
to THE contributions to congressional
campaign funds and their expendi-
lures. This is in line with one Of the
recommendations of President Taft in
his annual message to congress. A bill
introduced by Representative Mccall
of Massachusetts providing the modus
operandi for this proposition has been
slumbering peacefully in one of the
committees since the beginning of the
session and until a couple of days ago,
when, in a rather unexpected fashion.
it was reported favorably to the house,
The Democrats in that body. it is said,
will support the bill to a man and
there is no doubt that more than
enough Republicans will rally to the
measure to ensure its passage, 1t may
strike a snag in the senate. for the
members of that august assemblage
are not quite so susceptible TO public
opinion as are the members of the
house But if this bill is Killed in the
senate it will only strengthen the
cause of the movement for the cir
convention of the federal constitution
in the matter of choosing United States
senators by more states falling IN line
with laws providing for the primary
nomination of United States senatorial
candidates.
There can be little doubt that the
people of the country, generally, are in
favor of publicity as to campaign con-
tributions and expenditures for all Of
fees. They have expressed this senti-
ment in most of the states through
laws which demand such publicity IN
state and local elections, These laws
in New York state were strong enough
to cause to be made public the con-
tributions to the presidential cam
paign funds of the last general cleo
ton because the treasurerS' offices or
the predominant political parties were
located in that state. And SO OF late
there has been a general publicity con-
corning campaign funds except as to
those which concern congressional Of
fees.
No good reason exists why publicity
should not prevail in respect to con-
gressional campaign funds. On the
other hand, there are many potent
reasons why publicity regarding such
funds is really more essential than
funds. In most of the states of the
Union congressional campaigns are not
such local affairs as they are in KAN
sas. They are engineered for the most
part not by local congressional COM
mittees but by the national congress
sional committees OF the Democratic
and Republican parties. The charge
has been made repeatedly that the
large corporations and other Inter
ests" in the country, which have an
idea that they are in sore need of
many friends in congress, have been
heavy contributors to the congressional
campaign funds. There is now law
prohibiting corporations from contrib
uting to any political campaign fund,
but it does not apply to the individuals
making up corporations. A publicity
respecting congressional campaign
funds will have a tendency to wipe out
any such evil as may exist. Legisla-
ton to this end is demanded bv the
people and congress will be making a
sorry mistake if it does not grant it.