The sun., 1908-04-23
WHO SHALL PAY CAMPAIGN Ex-
PENgESg


To THE EDTroR or THE sUN-Sir; The
politicians are working 10 enable q small
part Of 100000 or 1900 900 voters 10 sup
ply the other part with the names Of per-
sons for whom they can vote next Novem-
Der for President and Vice-President. OF
not vote at ALL
Fortunately no other Federal executive
oficers-there are hundreds Of thousands
Of them under the Presidents thumb-are
TO be voted for. II Federal executive on
cials we're elective In the proportion that
State executive oflolAls are. the work Of
furnishing candidates would be overwhelm-
lng. No Koyernment known In history
when our Constitution was framed had such
aproblem 10 solve a. the United States Gov
ernment now has. II the plan Of that Con-
stitution, which was the appointment by
each State Of electors 10 select In each State
the persons preferred for President, and
send the lists to the President Of the Senate
at Washington TO be counted, could have
been adhered 10, the goings on that We now
behold In local assemblies 10 send delegates
10 national party conventions would have
been unnecessary. The Federal ConStihi-
ton has been preserved In form, but the
State electors are now In honor bound 10
vote for the Presidential candidates &C.
lected In national convention by the party
successful In putting in Office the State
Presidential electors.
The trainers Of the Constitution seem 10
have intended that State Presidential cleo
tors should be free 10 make their own selec-
ton, but the politicians Of neither party
could tolerateit. The result is that by their
own methods small portion Of each party
dictates the candidates 10 the other portion.
That debating process 10 now going on.
inspired by the presence and speeches Of
the more aspiring candidates. In a party
sense, the necessity Of concentrating the
party vote is obvious, and yet the present
convention system was not easily estab-
lished TO supersede the Congressional oau-
Gus plan, which was no better. Seventy or
eighty years ago, State after State bolted
away from convention nominations. The
Democrats insisted on q two-thirds vote
in order TO safeguard State preferences.
Later on, the national conventions began
TO bind Presidential candidates by pre-
scribed doctrines. policies and rules OF
conduct to be observed In ofiioe. Honorable
Presidents have endeavored 10 be obedi.
ent
When those selected as delegates TO ma
tonal conventions have been disregardful
Of the wishes Of the really unrepresented
masses, new conventions have been assem-
bled. new candidates have been named and
new platforms adopted. Such new con-
ventions, new candidates and new platforms
may come this year Hby reason Of many
candidates voted for by State electors none
shall have a majority then the present
House Of Representatives will choose the
President from the three highest oandi-
dates the votes will be taken by States and
each State will have only one vote. Thanks
to Bryan's influence, the Democrats have
only fourteen States and fourteen votes
(all but one Southern) out Of forty-slx.
II each voter could vote directly for the
President Of his choice, or II the State Preei-
dental electors we're free TO select their
Presidential candidates, there would not be
need for the present complicated and un-
representative machinery Of local conven-
tons, State conventions and national con-
ventions, but the final choice would prob |
ably be thrown into the House, which would |
be unsatisfactory
Party government requires for its COM
plete fruition two party system at the bal |
lot boxes and in Congress but in the thirty
Presidential elections under the Constitution |
there have been more than two candidates
for President excepting in seven. Had
there not been four candidates in 1890 the
war OF secession might have been postponed,
perhaps forever. There we're six candi-
dates in 1904. This year the temperance
candidate will probably be influential.
Although the existing convention system
is faulty and unrepresentadve In lts basis,
as has been seen In the recent New York
State convention and generally in the
Southern Republican conventions, and al
though party rule tends too often to party
folly, as In Democratic adherence 10 BRYAN.
yet party spirit Is as a rule patriotic as we'll
as partisan, and is conservative, nationalls-
ing and strengthening as an agency OF ad-
and an organ Of government
II wisely used party spirit may bind leg
lslative and executive branches by even
the power Of the 'spoils.'
The unsatisfactory and disturbing fea-
ture Of party government In these our days
is pecuniary party sustenanoe How IL the
party chest 10 be suppliedI Who pays the
present publicity billa Of campaign can
didates for party nominations for the high
office Of President In anticipation OF the
final party struggle in November2 They
must be largel II party expenditure Of
money Is to be regulated by law, shall each
State supervise Its primaries and It's State
or shall Congress' Which will
ook after the conduct Of national oonven.
ions1 Az the Federal Government has not
n a constitutional sense any elections, but
III are State affairs. 1t would seem proper
'or each State 10 regulate the financing OF
III elections and voting taking place therein.
Money must be had in large sums in order
% identify, through the clumsy and dis
CAUCUS and convention system.
Presidential candidates, and prepare four
cen millions Of voters for the ballot boxes
md the ballot boxes for the voters; but In
hat way shall the money be obtained2
President Roosevelt's ethicah ideals led
lin to solicit money In 1904 directly from
Hartman, without evasion or ciroumloou-
ion. Both we're practical men," The
'arty morality Of Congressman Sherman,
q head Of the Republican Congress- oom-
nittee, permitted him two years later 10
.ppeal. 1t has been said, to the head Of the
Jnon Pacific system. but the uproar caused
" the exposure is not calculated 10 en-