The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-08-30

Ind: II ask you only to wait I'M
til tomorrow night, and l will
produce evidence that convicts
every mothers son Of them-evi-
dence Of a deliberate plot that
has been carried into every coun-
ty of America in conspiracy to
buy the presidency of the United
States" At Pittsburgh, Thurs
day night, he made the promised
speech and presented the prom
Used evidence that was to CON
vict every mothers son of them"
meaning the republican leaders.
That evidence is now before us.
Does it substantiate the charges?
Let us first review the charges,
bearing in mind that they are
not made by an irresponsible
campaigner, but by the demo-
cratic candidate for president of
the United States, and that they
are leveled in all seriousness at
the republican candidate for
president, the republican party
organization, and the leaders of
the republican party generally.
He charged, first, that at least
s15,00O,00O was being contributed
to the republican national cam
paign fund by selfish interests"
"That," he said, "is the low mark,
and the sky apparently is the
limit"
Second, that many bankers in
writing their checks to the repub-
lican national committee are sim
ply making an investment. Others
are writing large checks SO that
if their puppets and tools get
into office and there are indus
trial controversies, they can have
the bayonet to enforce their will.
Third, that "a powerful combi-
nation of interests is now at
tempting to buy government con-
troll. They are raising millions
and millions of dollars into a
campaign fund.-"
Fourth, that millions have
been contributed from sinister
and corrupt sources in further
ance Of a republican conspiracy
to buy an underhold on the
presidency"
It should be clear to every
reader that the allegation of
large campaign fund is but Incl
dental to the primary charge OF
"a plot and conspiracy" between
the republican party and "sinis-
ter and corrupt interests" to buy
the presidency of the United
States" and the control of the
United States government. And
it was the evidence of this that
he announced on Wednesday, as
quoted above. he would present
in the Pittsburgh speech-evi-
dence that convicts every moth
er's son of them" Now, what is
the evidence that he has pre-
sented? 1t consists Of alleged
official documents from repub-
lican headquarters from which
he gives a list Of fifty-one cities
that had been assigned campaign
quotas aggregating $S,145.O00,
and quotations from published
reports of party agents in rela-
ton to the work of securing sub
scriptions. Governor Cox said
that he depended wholly upon
these documents for the purpose
of making proof Of his charges.
1t is to be inferred from this that
all of his charges are based upon
these, and that he has no other
evidence to offer.
Assuming that the documents
are genuine, what do they prove!
First, that a systematic cam
paign was planned for the collec-
ton of campaign funds, and that
this plan is the same, as Gov
ernor Cox states, as that used in
the Liberty bond campaigns OF
the war. Second, in accordance
with this plan, quotas were as
signed to cities and states. Third,
also in accordance with the Lib
erty bond plan, various methods
and agencies were employed on
a large scale to secure subscrip-
tions, These methods have been
used in every large Embarrassing
movement OF the last four years,
and the people are familiar with
them. No one has heretofore
found anything sinister in the
method. It was used by the Red
Cross, the Salvation Army, the
churches and numerous relief
societies. The quotas in every
case were simply marks to reach
for. and were presumed to rep
resent. in each instance, the
amount which the relative popu-
lation and wealth Of the commu-
nifty would justify the managers
Of the fund movement in hoping
for. Since the war ended they
have in most cases been a vain
hope, for they have seldom been
reached. Now, the fundamental
principle of this Nethod was that
it set aside the former method
of depending entirely upon men
of wealth, or comparative wealth.
for the support Of every public
movement. and sought by organi-
cation and direct solicitation to
reach the masses Of the people,
thus securing more equitable
distribution of subscriptions while
at tho same time arousing
wider interest In the cause and
securing larger sums.
Months ago Chairman Hays
publicly announced that subscrip-
tons to the republican campaign
fund would be limited to $1,000.
The obvious purpose of this was