The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1906-04-27
ENORMOUS EXPENSE
PRIMARY ELECTION COSTS CAN
DIDATEs MUCH MONEY.
Chamberlain's Race For Office Is Not
Considered Partizan
One.

Portland, April 26,-Special Corre-
Oregon has at last expert
enced one test of the much mooted di-
rect primary election law and its sue
cessful operation is in question. That
it is enormously expensive to the indi-
vidual candidate is admitted by all.
To Democratic candidates, these ex-
penses have not been SO extrayagant,
except in Multnomah county, where
the contest for the shrievalty between
the present incumbent, Thos. N. Word
and M. J. Malley was sharp and keenly
fought out. Sheriff Wards present
popularity and really splendid official
record, landed him winner by vote
OF almost three to one. This is not ac-
cepted as an uncomplimentary COM
mentory of Mr.. Malley who happens
to be splendid citizen and popular
one, it simply means that the Demo
crats are in earnest and are going to
enforce the law. One of the most
gratifying features of this campaign is
this; Mr.. Malley and all Of his pa
tisan friends are pulling off their
coats and working for Word like beav-
ers.
The other Democratic candidates
throughout the state had little or no
opposition and were therefore not re-
quired to spend much money in the
campaign.
In one case of Governor Chamber
lain, an unparalleled exception pre-
vails His race for the office is not a
partisan or even party one. There
has come from all quarters such unan-
imous demand for his nomination and
reelection that party lines in this in
stance cut no figure.
Ii is understood that Mr.. Chamber
lain will make no campaign this year;
but will simply keep on being Ore
CONS governor.
But with the machine Republicans
the case is entirely different. Today
it is comparatively estimated in this
city that the various candidates for
State offices have expended for adver-
tising, printing, postage and other in
cidentals, in the aggregate $3.50, 900.
The real sum is probably greater than
that.
1t is rumored that Jonathan Bourne's
first investment in postage stamps was
something like $500.
Although every candidate for state
position maintains an individual head
quarters in this city with press man
ager and with full corps of steuo-
graphers, clerks and typewriters, one
might easily believe it to be the head
quarters of national committee.
The mails have been literally flooded
with Appeals to Voters.
The direct Primary Election law
has at least demonstrated one thing;
poor man of the dominant party
cannot accept q nomination to any
office, no matter what his quslifica-
tions, and must hereafter he elimin-
ated as factor, unless law be Grad
ioally changed.
There is another amusing thing
about the situation. The defeated
Republican candidates are to man
''sore" to the very heart. They can
hardly be expected to contribute finan-
cially and otherwise to the fervid
campaign Of the rivals at the pri-
maries. They are not going to take
any rash and devouring interest in the
election that will be held at the Ides
of next June. They will simply sit on
the fence and see the circus go by. If
Mr.. Steel thinks that Mr.. Aitkin of Hunt
ington or Judge Ryan of Oregon City
are going to work themselves into
white lather OF enthusiasm they are
quite mistaken. II President Witty
comb thinks that ex-Governor Geer is
wild with glee over his personal cam
paign for gubernatorial honors, he is
laboring under grievous errors.
These ranking sores are not rapidly
healed over, and the fact that the So
called Mathews faction" in Portland
has won out on the legislative ticket is
another cause of Republican agony.
Jonathan Bourne is not feeling quite
at peace with all the world and espec.
tally with the ''traitorous" element of
tho party which defeated him.