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The Commoner.
OCTOBER 23, 1908
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"TWO VOTES FOR BRYAN AND KERN"
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THAT IS THE SLOGAN
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The argument in this campaign is on our side. This argument may not have been presented to your neighbor,
who intends to vote the republican ticket. Let everyone who advocates the election of Bryan and Kern make de
termined effort, between now and election day, to get one vote from among his neighbors. From now on let the
slogan be "TWO VOTES FOR BRYAN AND KERN MY OWN AND ANOTHER MAN'S."
LIKE BACON
Mr. Taft's pica, that his party can receive
largo contributions from the interests to bo
benefited without being obligated to them or in
fluenced by them, recalls the plea which Francis
Bacon made when impeached before the house
of lords for taking bribes. He said that while
he had taken them, they had never influenced
his judgment, but he was removed in. disgrace.
It is a pity he did not know of the modern
method by which one protects himself from in
fluence while at the same time getting the ben
efit of 'the contributions by merely saying that
it is distinctly understood by the giver that the
receiver will not be influenced by .the gift.
But men are usually influenced by their
benefactors. And this recalls the story of a
discussion that was going on at Lincoln several
years ago while the legislature was in session.
A number of legislators, lobbyists and newspa
per men were seated in a hotel ofllce discussing
the question, "What is an honest man." After
several opinions had, been expressed, some one
asked Herman Timme, a Douglas county mem
ber, to give an answer. Herman replied: Veil
I tink an honest man is one who will stay
bought." .. ...
The great corporations finance the republi
can party's campaign and they will control the
republican officials whom they elect. ,
AND WHY NOT ALDRICH?
President Roosevelt denounces Senator For
aker for his Standard Oil affiliations. Why ript
Senator Aldrich also? Is it because Foraker
opposed Taft, while Aldrich is for Taft? Last
winter the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, a repub
lican paper, said that Senator Aldrich has cap
italistic affiliations" and "openly consults with
the men who control in that hazy, yet positive,
element popularly known as 'the Wal Street
crowd.' " It is said that Mr. Aldrich "seldom
takes any step in or out of the senate without
consulting with his New York connections, and
that "he is related to the men who control
Standard Oil, and has made millions in associa
tion with them."
Yet the Globe-Democrat says "he possesses
the ability to apparently unite in common cause
the incongruous elements of the senate and
direct them along a common channel. lno
Globe-Democrat is now admitting what has for
years been charged by democrats. Maybe Mr.
Aldrich's success is not entirely due to his
ability. Maybe the elements of the senate wh ch
Mr. Aldrich controls are not so "incongruous
as some would have us believe. Certainly ho
is not the only member of the United States
senate who has "capitalistic affiliations. Why
is President Roosevelt silent about Aldrich?
Does any sane man believe that Aldrich is a
supporter of the "Roosevelt policies? He is
the chief trust and corporation agent in the
BenaMr. Taft's campaign manager says nothing
about Aldrich.
SIGNIFICANT SILENCE
The republican party is silent on the ques
tion of publicity of campaign funds. Mr. Taft
says that the list of contributors will be an
nounced after election., Just now he desires to
conceal the sources of the republican slush
There are several instances on record of the
willingness of republican managers to make
public campaign contributions after election.
One of these occurred during the insurance in
vestigations in New York three years ago. The
question of the donation made by the Equitable
Life Assurance Society came up in connection
.with a mysterious loan of $685,000, made by
the Mercantile Trust company to the Equitable.
Cornelius N. Bliss, who was treasurer of tho
republican national committee and also a trustee
in the Equitable, was asked this question, ac
cording to the report published by tho Chicago
Record-Herald, a republican newspaper:
"Did you, as treasurer of tho republican
national committee, accept or receive a contri
bution of $100,000 from the fund of $085,000
which figures as a loan to James W. Alexander
and Thomas D. Jordan, as trustees from the
Mercantile Trust company, tho existence of that
loan being known to you as a director of tho
Equitable Society?"
Mr. Bliss' answer was: "I absolutely re
fuse to answer any such question. The ques
tion Ib a decidedly improper one."
This was the willingness of the treasurer
of the republican national committee to make
public the source of the party's contribution,
nearly a year after the election. Subsequent
investigation revealed the fact that not only tho
Equitable, but tho Mutual, tho New York Life
and other big insurance companies had con
tributed tons of thousands of dollars of thoir
policyholders' money to the republican campaign
fund.
The $260,000 fund which Harriman raised
was not made public until two and a half years
after the election and then through no volun
tary action on the part either of Mr. Harriman
or Mr. Roosevelt.
The Record-Herald's publication is an in
teresting chapter upon the question of the will
ingness of republican managers to publish cam
paign contributions, even after election.
1 (5 t7 W . I !.
TANIO THREAT BY TRUST BOOSTERS
From a Chicago Dispatch. The republican
national committee is sending out a letter ask
ing for "cash contributions," in which the declar
ation Is made that "the election, of Judge Taft
and James S. Sherman Is essential to the wel
fare of the country."
The letter is of interest by reaBon of tho
character of the men whoso names app ar on
the letterhead, and who make this appeal. Hero
are the men who sign the letter informing tho
people of the country that Bryan's election-will
bo dangerous:
Charles F. Brooker, head of the brass trust,
and vice president of the Now York, New Haven
and Hartford railroad, against which a gov
ernment suit is now pending in the federal
courts.
Charles Nagel, of Missouri, one of the gen
eral attorneys of the Standard Oil company.
This Standard Oil representative is in charge
of republican national campaign headquarters In
Chicago.
Frank O. Lowden, multimillionaire son-in-law
of the late George M. Pullman, and now tho
head of the great Pullman Palace Car trust, to
which tho traveling public pays tribute.
T. Coleman Dupont, the head of the powder
trust which is fighting a suit against dissolution.
Boise Penrose, the political "boss" of the
corrupt politician machine In Pennsylvania.
George R. Sheldon, the personal represent
ative of J. Pierpont Morgan, in the capacity of
director in all his trust companies, and who col
lected trust money for the election of Governor
Hughes of New York.
William Nelson Cromwell, the legal repre
sentative of Edward H. Harriman, and probably
the greatest trust lawyer In the United States
Fred W. Upham, the "fat fryer" for the
republican party in the west, and the man who
wrote letters to corporations whoso property he
assessed by virtue of his position as a member
of the board of review in Chicago.
This is a fino outfit to advise the farmers
and business men in the west how to vote. Two
of the signers are heads of corporations, which
are fighting for their existence In tho courts. Of
courao these men think Bryan's election dangor
ous; that is natural whon one becomes acquaint
ed with their connections. But there is not a
legitimate business man in tho nation, small or
largo, who has any reason to fear a democratic
victory.
Tho Nagel-Slicldon-PonroHO-Upham et al
letter nppealing for "cash" was mailod from
Chicago as lato as October 8. A copy was sent
to a prominent manufacturer in Iowa, who is
a republican. He replied at onco to tho com
mittee of "trust boosters," who aro financing
tho republican campaign. Tho lottor of reply
is given herowith and it was not obtained at
republican headquarters, whero it waB received
today:
"--.Iowa, October 9, 1908. Republican
National Committee, 234 Michigan Avenuo,
Chicago, 111. Gentlemen: Wo have your lottor
of tho 8th Inst, requesting an Irnnicdnto sub
scription from us, and that wo tako a day off and
ask subscriptions among our friends. Wo ro
grot our inability to furnish you immediate as
sistance, but if you will tell us hov wo can
explain to our friends tho following questions,
we will tako tho matter of raising funds for tho
republican campaign under consideration:
"Why did the republican convention at
Chicago vote down the publicity of campaign
funds, nine to one?
"Popular election of senators, seven to
one?
"How can we expect Mr. Taft to prosecute
the trusts when ho granted a perpetual franchise
. to a corporation In the Philippines?
"How, can wo assure the pcoplo that Mr.
Taft, if elected, will not copy Mr. Roosevelt and
use tho office which belongs to tho people to
namo his successor?
"Why thirty republicans could not bo found
in congress, last winter, that would Join tha
democrats in causing the many good measures,
talked of by Mr. Roosevelt, to become laws?
"That Mr. Roosevelt was and Is In good
faith in his attempts to prosecute tho Standard
Oil company?
"What assurance can wo give them that
tho many good -measures talked of by Mr. Roose-
' velt wero not Jike his bear hunts in the south
last autumn tamo bear, as you will remember,
shipped there for that purpose?
"Many otlior questions might bo asked but
these are the most perplexing, and unless we
aro fortified with explanations, which wd are
i unable to give, wo must decline to assist you.
Most respectfully yours,
The Co.,
By
-Mgr.
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JUDGE TAFT WAS NETTLED
The correspondent for the Cincinnati
Enquirer, who traveled with Mr. Taft
on his Ohio tour, wired his paper, as fol
lows: "At Mingo Junction, Ohio, Judge
Taft became nettled because he was per
mitted to make a prosperity speech from
tho front of the great Carnegie mills,
which have been closed down for neaTly
a year with tho consequence that nearlv
two thousand hands are out of vJ?nay
ment. Tlnon hearin" h': ?M write threo
know why Judge Hon ust stop and
iniormea mm or me iacc. 7 " 7L -1
" 'Your speech was all right0. WSfT'&i
response. 0
" 'I want to know the exact condl-
tions in the future,' was the tart reply."
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