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The Commoner.
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
VOL. 8; NO, 25
Lincoln, Nebraska, July 3, 1908
Whole Number 389
The Republican Party's Own Answer
",
In his address to the republican national convention, Temporary Chairman Burrows referred to the republican victory in 1004,
and then asked: "In view of this indorsement, it becomes pertinent and opportune to inquire, what has the republican party
done in the last four years of government control to forfeit public confidence or create distrust in its capacity for future
administration?"
For this question the Rochester (New York) Union and Advertiser finds a striking answer. This is the answer which the
Union and Advertiser takes out of the mouth of Senator Burrows' own party: "In the broad effect of its policy it has precip
itated panic, blighted industry and trade with prolonged depression, closed factories, reduced work and wages, halted enterprise
and crippled American production. Every consideration of public safety and individual interest demands that the government
shall be rescued from the hands of those who have shown themselves incapable of conducting :5 without disaster." From the re
publican platform of 1896. ' ' ,
a a x
A POLITICAL PARTY AFRAID
If the mental attitude of the renublican party can be
judged by the action of the convention, it has taken counsel . of
its fears. " ' ' " "
In rejecting, by vote of 917 to 63 nearly 15 to 1 the
plank providing for the physical valuation of railroads, the
republican party admits that it is afraid of the truth. What
objection can there be to finding out what the railroads are actu
ally worth? If they are over-capitalized, the country ought to
know it; if they are not over-capitalized, the railroads themselves
ought to be glad to have the fact announced. So long as the truth
is concealed, there will be exaggeration on both sides those who
lean to the side of the railroads denying that there is over-capitalization,
and those who demand rate reduction insisting that
the over-capitalization is considerable. We ought to know the
truth. But the republican party shows by the action which the
convention took that it is
AFRAID OF THE TRUTH.
The timidity of the republican leaders was even more em
phasized in the vote of 880 to 949 to 1 rejecting the plank
providing for publicity as to campaign contributions and ex
penditures. They are even afraid of the light, for publicity would
throw light upon politics. Elections are public affairs and" they
ought to be conducted in a public way. Secrecy as to campaign
methods and as to the influences which affect elections is indefen
sible. If the demand was for the publication of past contributions
and expenditures, the republican convention might have offered
as an excuse that contributions made and money expended with
out expectation of publicity could not be made public without
some embarrassment to those giving and receiving, but such an
excuse can not be offered for a law applying to future contribu
tions and disbursements. It is not necessary tihat small contri
butions shall be made public, and to make these public might
subject the giver to injustice if, for instance, the giver was an
employe and opposed to his employer. The same argument that
is made in favor of the secret ballot could be made m favor of
secrecy as to small contributions, but this argument will not
apply to large contributions. If a man gives largely, the public
has a right to know whether the gift.measures a general interest
in the public, or is part of an implied contract whereby a re
turn is to be secured in legislation or in immunity. No corpor
ation of any kind should be allowed to contribute to a campaign
fund, for corporations are not organized for political purposes,
and individual contributions above a reasonable minimum should
be open to inspection in order that the voters may be made ac-
T j-
quainted with the influences which are at work in the campaign.
Why did the republican convention turn down.hisjpJank by
aii6verwhelming vote when the president had asked-for pub
licity legislation and the republican candidate for president' Mad'
put himself on record in favor of such legislation? And how
fortunate it is that Mr. Taft's letter to Senator Burrows was
brought to the attention of the public! If it had not appeared
before the convention, it would have been difficult to find after
the convention. There can be but one explanation of the action
of the republican convention, namely, that it ic the intention of
those in charge of the republican party to secure campaign funds
from sources which they dare not disclose. They are
AFRAID OF THE LIGHT.
But a still more remarkable manifestation of fear is to be
found in the vote of 866 to 114 7 to 1 by vhich they turned
down the proposition to elect United States senators by direct
vote of the people. What does this mean? Simply that the re
publican leaders distrust popular government. We elect our
congressmen by the people; we elect our governors and state
officers by the people; we elect our president and vice president
by the people. If the electors have no discretion and no elector
would dare to vote contrary to the sentiment of those who elected
him why are the people denied the right to select senators by
direct vote? There is one reason, and only one the United States
senate today is the bulwark of predatory wealth; favor-seeking
corporations have made it a depository of their power and they
close the door to reform. Every remedial law must have the
sanction of the senate as well as the approval of the house and
the president. So long as the exploiting interests can control
the senate, they can hold the people at bay, and this is why the
republican convention insolently thwarted the purpose of those
republicans who sympathize with the desire of the people in
their demand for relief from present conditions. Surely the rank
and file of the republican party will express their indignation at
this open and obvious distrust of the people. The republican
party has added to its many sins this unpardonable one, that it is
AFRAID OF THE PEOPLE.
What an indictment the voters can bring against the repub
lican party this year!
AFRAID OF THE TRUTH!
AFRAID OF THE LIGHT!
AFRAID OE THE PEOPLE!
r And the party, in convention assembled, pleads guilty to th
indictment !
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