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The Commoner.
VOLUME 8;NUMBER 28
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Publicity for Pempcratic Campaign Contributions
'nmnnrnfln national committW sliall e accepted within threfe days of the maximum and $100 as a mln
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The now democratic national committeo'
mot with Messrs. Bryan and Kern at Fairview,
July 14. Tho national committeemen present
wore: Hall of Nebraska, Mack of Now York,
Taggart of Indiana, Sullivan of Illinois, Tucker
of Arkansas, Tomlinson of Alabama, Coughlln
of Massachusetts, Wood of Michigan, Daniels of
North Carolina, Grcono of Rhode Island, Brady
of Oklahoma, Cummings of Connecticut, Don
nelly of Idaho, Wade of Iowa, Osborne of Wyom
ing, Williams of Mississippi, Talbot of Maryland,
Korr of Pennsylvania, Johnson of Texas, Ne
boker of Utah, Jones of Now Mexico.
Addressing the committee, Mr. Bryan said:
"Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of tho Com
mittoo: I recognize that tho main work of tho
campaign is done by sub-committees, and yet
boforo entering upon the campaign, I was anx
ious to have an opportunity to meot personally
tho full membership of tho committee. Upon
this committee action directly with other per
sons selected in accordanco with its authority
rests tho responsibility of carrying on this carn-
paign, and 1 desire upon this first meeting with
you to oxpross my deep appreciation, not merely
of tho honor that has been paid to mo by tho
party which you, as an organization, represent,
but my entire satisfaction with tho platform
which was adopted by the convention which has
rocontly adjourned, and my gratification, too,
that a candidate for vice president has been se
lected who is not only a political friend and per
sonal friend, but oiio in whom I have entire con
fidence. ''I do not know how I can bettor express
my feelings on this subjoct than to say that if
I am elected presidont and Mr. Kern is elected
vico president, I shall not bo afraid to dio, bo
cause I shall feel that tho policy outlined in the
platform, which I shall endeavor to put into
operation, will be just as faithfully carried out
by him as it would be by me (applause). I do
not know how 1 can express in stronger language
my, satisfaction of tho nomination that tho party
has made for vico president.
"Asldq from desiring to meet you person
ally, I thought there were certain things that
ought to bo decided upon at once, and as I have
tho honor of having met at this time our candi
date for vice prosldont, Mr. Kern, I havo con
ferred with him about two or three matters, and
I shall present at this time a request in which
ho and I join. I have reduced it to writing."
Mr. Bryan then read the following state
ment: "Gentlemen of the Committee: The plat
form recently adopted by tho national conven
tion of our party at Denver contains the follow
ing pledge:
v "'Wo pledge tho democratic party to tho
enactment of a law prohibiting any corporation
from contributing to a campaign fund and any
Individual from contributing an amount above
finn0H5nwe am1oun1t aml Providing for tho pub
lication before election of all contributions above
a reasonable minimum.'
with'thE Sn ftnd,1 are in hearty sympathy
T, tILplo,se and arG gratified at its adop
tion. With its fulfillment a new era in Ameri
can politics will begin. Elections will then be
regarded as public affairs, and tho Influence
which controls them, instead of being secret,
will be known to tho voters.
i "As rnest token that our party will
make good its pledge, wo ask you to construe
this plank and put it into immediate operation
This can be done by tho adoption of a resoh
tion announcing that in pursuance of the policy
outlined in that pledge, your committee will not
accept any contribution whatever from any cor
poration; that it will not accept any contribution
from any individual above a reasonable amount
and that it will make publication before election
of all contributions above a reasonable mini
mum. IU1
of ti nftnH??8' f? ?Ur annroval maximum
of $10,000 and a minimum of $100, no contri
bution to be received above $10,000 and all
contributions above $100 to be made public be
fore tho election.
"We suggest also that on or before Octo
ber 15, publication shall bo mado of all contri
butions above $100 received up to that date, that
after October 15 publication shall bo made of
such contributions on tho day that tho same are
received, and that no contribution above $ioo
fall vbo accepted within threfe days of 'tho
election."
Mr. Bryan then commented as follows:
"We have folt that this is the proper time to
make this announcement. At the republican
national convention a plan in favor of publicity
was turned down by a very large vote. The in
dignation that has been expressed over that ac
tion of tho committee has already been felt by
tho republican leaders, and they are now at
tempting to avoid all the censure that has been
falling upon them by announcing that through
their treasurer, a Now York man, there would
bo published the contributions after the election.
You will notice that the point made in our plank
is that tho contributions shall be published be
fore tho election. It is not sufficient to learn
after the election of the influences that have
purchased the election. The public ought to
know before the election what influences are at
work to secure the success of a party, and our
platform makes that distinction and we ask that
this committee at this time declare itself in
harmony with the plank and that this plank be
interpreted so that the public can not fail to
see tho difference between our position and their
position. We say that no contribution 'shall be
accepted from any corporation; a corporation is
not created for political purposes, it has no right
to contribute to campaign funds, and wo want
this part of the plank distinct.
"Wo want a limit placed upon individual
contributions, that no contribution may be re
ceived from any individual so large as to indi
cate that individual's interest of a personal char
actor in the result of the election, and we want
all contributions above a reasonable minimum
made public, in order that the public may judge
what influences are at work and thus be better
able to decide on which side those interested only
in good government should cast their votes, and
we have suggested a minimum of $100 because
people can contribute that amount without sus
picion, and those contributing small amounts
may be so situated that the publication of their
contributions would embarrass them. For- in
stance, an employe of a corporation might earn
estly desiro to assist in this campaign, and if
his contribution was published it might subject
him to punishment at the hands of the corpor
ation, and the arguments that have justified the
secret ballot justify secrecy in regard to con
tributions so small that they can not be sup
posed to represent an interest '.hat is attempt
ing to purchase favors.
"We havo simply suggested $10,000 as a
maximum and $100 as a minimum; we havo
Buggesieci tne lbtn or uctober as the date upon
which all contributions up to that time must be
published, and that we can not be accused of
desiring to conceal anything, we suggest that
where contributions are made after the 15th of
October that they be made known on the dato
that they are made, and that they may not at
tempt to accuse us of receiving contributions
on the last day, too late for publication, we sug
gest that no contributions over $100 shall b0
received within three days of the election. We
have tried to cover every point. We want to
make an honest campaign; we want the public
to understand that it is an honest campaign and
we want to appeal to the honest sentiment of the
country that sentiment that I believe demands
the return -of the government to the hands of
the people."
RESOLUTION ADOPTED .
The following resolution was thereupon
adopted:
"Resolved, That the democrat! national
committee, in pursuance t the pledge given in
the national platform recently adopted at Den
ver, announces that 'It will accept no contribu
tions whatever from corporations; that it will
accept no individual contributions above $10,000
and that it will make publication before election
of all individual contributions above $100, con
tributions received before October 15 being pub
lished on or before that date and contributions
received after that date being published on the
ucce upon which they are received, and that no
contributions above $100 shall be accepted with
er .ree days of the election." . ,
Another resolution requc-ts democrats all
over the country to organize themselves imme
diately into democratic clubs to' assist the com
mittee in the work of the coming campaign.
Following is the sub-committee wliich has
full poweci to act in choosing the permanent
officers of the national committee and then ap
point such other committees as may be neces
sary for the management of the .campaign:
Taggart, Indiana, chairman; Hall, Nebraska;
Mack, New York; Osborne, Wyoming; Green,
Rhode Island; Ryan, Wisconsin; Daniels, North
Carolina; Wade, Iowa; Tomlinson, Alabama;
Cole, California; Brady, Oklahoma.
The sub-committee of the national commit
tee adjourned to meet in Chicago July 25, when
the chairman of the national committee will be
selected. Josephus Daniels was mado secretary
of tho sub-committee.
A FARMERS' CAMPAIGN FUND
To tho Farmers of the United States: Th
first contribution made to the democratic cam
paign fund this year, so far as we know, was
made by an Iowa farmer. Just before the Den
ver convention met, this man, who modestly
prefers not1 to have his name mentioned, jour
neyed more than one hundred miles to Lincoln
with his contribution of $100, which he left
with Mr.; Bryan to be given to tho committee
when organized for the campaign.
This farmer was born in Sweden and for
some time after he was naturalized was a mem
ber of the republican party, but ho was a student
of public' questions and In tho course of time
became a democrat. He has been a reader of
Tho Commoner since its establishment and to
manifest his deep interest In tho success of th
party and in this triumph of democratic princi-
paign fund Wl" fferIng to th ca"
It is very appropriate that the first m-n
tribution should come from that great bodvSf
our population known as agriculturalists for tho
farmer has nothing to gain by priv leiro and
favoritism; his hope is in the application' of th
doctrine of "equal rights to all JSd Isnerfa fivt
ileges to none." He has been the T victim of S
special legislation, and has suffered 1 tS
control of politics by the creii nrrw tho
poratlons. Now that the aZmoJmZ Z'a
announced Its determination no? KnP 7 has
trlbutions from corporatX not con
cessive contribution .even fHwf?' Gx"
to publish all contribuuSna aw iVidua,B and
minimum, it ought KoTblf seUTs
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cient campaign fund from those patriotic citizens
who ask from the government nothing but pro
tection to their rights and consideration for the
general welfare.. There are hundreds of thou
sands of farmers who are abundantly able to
contribute to the campaign fund... There are
thousands who could give $100 apiece without
f?elIn⁢ there are tens of thousands who could
give $50 apiece without sacrifice, and still more
who could give $25 or $10 or $5.
As the national committee has not yet been
organized, we will ask The Commoner to call
for subscriptions to this farmers' fund. Those
giving can indicate whether they are willing to
have their names mentioned and, if the contribu
tion is not more than $100, their wishes will
.be complied with. All contributions above $100
must be made known, no matter from whom
they como. :
The farmers' fund will be turned over to
the national committee as soon as its permanent
officers have been selected. Who will be the
first to respond? The Denver convention was a
peoples convention1; it adopted a strong, clear,
honest platform, and its nominations were mado
with practical unanimity. Our fight is a fight
lor the whole people. Our aim ,1s equal and
exact justice to all; our purpose ia to restore
the government to the hands of the freely
chosen representatives of the voters. ! How many
larmers will join in furnishing the fund neces
sary to present the1 issues? .
"WILLIAM J. BRYAN.
, , , . ' JOHN W. KERN.
''4 (Democratic ' papers will pleasecopy.)
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