The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-08-30
GOVERNOR COX AND HIS PROOF

published by the republican COM
mittee which is sent out to party
workers generally, and that this
bulletin contains reports or prog
ress in various places, and urgent
appeals from the national treas
urer to continued activity. MI.
Upham, the treasurer, denies that
any quotas have been made for
cities, saying hiatt the only quotas
assigned were for states, and the
state committees apportioned
their quotas as they thought best.
He says, further, that the quota
in each state was expected to
provide for tho state as well as
the national campaign fund. But
granting, for the purpose OF dis
cussion, that the showing OF
quotas made by Governor Cox is
correct, he has proven nothing
more than that general cam
paign is in progress to raise
national campaign fund by popu-
lar subscription. There is not the
slightest evidence in his speech
that a fund of Eat least $15,OOO.-
600" is being contributed by
selfish interests" or by any
other interests. There is not
scintilla of proof of "conspir-
acy to buy the presidency" There
is not shred Of proof of contri-
buttons from sinister and cor
rupt sources" nor of a power
full combination of interests" to
obtain control OF government.
There is not court in the land
that would not rule out such tes-
timony as "immaterial, irrelevant
and incompetent"
On the contrary, Governor Cox
has by his own showing clearly
disproved his own charges. The
evidence he presents shows SO
plainly that any man or any
woman with eyes can see 1t, the
utter absurdity, not to say wick
edness, of the charge OF con-
spiracy by sinister and corrupt
interests to subvert the govern
ment Of the United States. He
shows that the money for the
campaign is being drawn not
from a combination of capital,
but, from the entire country and
from all classes Of people; that
large forces of men are engaged
in soliciting subscriptions. that
these men have to dig" to get
the money, and that an official
publication Of information and
encouragement is being printed
and sent out by mail to these
thousands of workers. If the
party leaders have conspired with
sinister. n1oneyed interests for.
the sale of the presidency, why
all this campaigning for funds
from the forks Of the creek? He
quotes a paragraph from the
bulletin which says: FLORIDA re-
publicans say they wish to help
pay the freight for the return OF
good republican days" Does this
base conspiracy extend into the
Everglades? Another quotation
from the bulletin. which Gov
ernor Cox read. says that Mitch
ell, S. D., has completed its
quota" Are the sinister and cor
rupt millionaires of Mitchell en-
gagged in this plot? And the ne
farious plutocrats of Pontiac,
Alma and Battle Creek, Mich;
the predatory wealthy Of Keno
sha, Wis; the crafty nabobs OF
Yuma, Ariz., are they also par
ticipants in this great combina-
ton of evil? Is it possible to
imagine conspiracy Of sinister
and corrupt interests that ex-
tends from the Arostook to the
Salton sea and enters into every
county between? Is it possible
to imagine an evil and treason
able conspiracy that publishes a
regular bulletin of information
and sends it out by ordinary mail
to its thousands Of workers in
iniquity? 1t is possible, yes, for
Governor Cox has accomplished
1t, but his, evidence refutes his
imagination.
We repeat that the magnitude
OF the republican campaign fund
is a minor matter Whether or
not it is larger than it ought to
be will be revealed by the sena-
torial investigating committee.
Governor Cox has made tho
charge that at least s15,000,0o0
is being contributed to the cam
paign fund by selfish interests
engaged in sinister and corrupt
conspiracy to buy the presidency
and to gain control Of the gov
ernemnt for their own wicked
purposes. He has not presented
one competent fact to support
this monstrous charge, and the
evidence he does present is evil
dence against himself - proof
positive that his charge is with
out foundation. chimera of dis
torted fancy, the baseless fabric
Of a fevered dream.