The Washington times., 1912-08-05
CORRUPT PRACTICE THAT MUST STOP

In the line of practical measures to emancipate
legislation from the control OF special interests no
more useful proposal has beer made than that Of
legislating out Of existence the national Congress
iona campaign committees Of all political parties.
plank to accomplish this has been brought forward
at the Progressive convention. 1t ought to be
adopted; every candidate for Congress- on any ticket
ought to be compelled to declare whether he will
support the legislation. No candidate refusing the
pledge should have support.
These Congressional campaign committees are
even more depraving than The national committees,
with their burden of obligations to and interests
that finance campaigns The Congressional campaign
committee is selected by the caucus Of members Of
Congress of a particular party; it is composed of
prominent members selected for their efficiency in
getting money, and their skill in using it where it
will do the most good for party candidates.
That this practice of sending out select begging
committees of legislators, to comb Wall Street, the
railroads. manufacturers, business interests of all
kinds for money should have been long continued,
is simply scandalous. 1t is utterly impossible, by
such drag-net process, to raise vast from in
terests that concerned with legislative matters,
and not involve the party organization in obligations
that so far as they executed stand in the way Of
honorable public service. No member of Congress
should serve on either this notorious Congressional
have done so-some Of them men beyond reproach-
is proof that too low conception of political NOR
alities and decencies has obtained.
One party has offended just as seriously an
other Each has offended just to the extent of its
capacity to do so. Both have been "out for the coin
in every Congressional campaign; ready to take il
from whatever source it could be had to incur what.
ever obligation must necessarily be implied, and
then to give ear to the urgences Of committeeman
who have made themselves responsible for looking
after the interests Of amable contributors.
Under Babcock, for example, when he was chair.
man OF the Republican Congressional committee
this graft became stencil in the nostrils of Congress
and the country. On one occasion Babcock intro
duced a radical measure to reduce certain tariff
dutes and made loud protestaton that he expected
to pass it. That bill became infamous a mere
strike proposition-a scheme to "hold up interests
that were concerned to prevent such legislation, ano
force them to disgorge campaign funds.
Scores of cases could be cited Of influential Con
gressmen in whose behalf vast swag was raised anc
dumped into their districts to help reelect them ir
close years. Why? Because those men were ex
| pected to serve the contributors when Legislation
came up Mainly, the service was by way of killing
bills of pgeonholing them in committees; of refus
| ing recognition to get them considered.
The time has passed when that sort of politics OF
Of legislation is to be accepted goodnaturedly b,
this country The whole system is wicked, vicious
corrupt 1t should be ended forever and the way t.
end it is by making such scandals impossible unde
the law.