Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1908-07-16

We have heard . good deal said during
the present campaign o. to the "legiti-
mate" use Of money in politics. Ideas
diner about It and some Of them are very
elastic. Some believe-to judge from
their actions-that any use of money Is
leg Ultimate short OF the actual transfer Of
cash for votes. Others hold strictly to
the other extreme-that no money, save
for such incidentals as postage, printing
of ballots and the like, can be properly
expended in a canvass. To those who
are or have been sir politics." 1t is no
news that office seeking is expensive. IT
costs as much as utomobiling-snyway.
To begin with, the great body Of voters
are apatbetic toward all candidates at the
outset. To ninety-nine out OF every hum
bred average citizens, the ambitions OF
the candidates cause not q ripple OF inter-
est. The other one-hundredth part con-
Germs the men who hunt Office. II Is they
who really control. Every town and city
has a knot OF politicians-we mean the
few who keep the run of things, main
tain an interest year after year, know and
are known by the similar knots in other
towns, and really set up the pins in every
political canvass. These men are the
ones who must be seen and II possible
retained by the candidate. II he can APP
peal 20 their judgment, loyalty or friend
ship, or on account Of past obligations,
1 al nd kar md a. he.
does so.
But there are many who do not yield to
this form of persuasion, and SO, in not a
few cases, they are retained under pay.
himself into thinking that IT is all right,
that the thing il common in politics, and
must be done to achieve results; that il IL
really too much to expect men to put in
their time and work without any return,
and that it is q Legitimate, use of
money 10 retain them. These men whoop
Ter up for the candidate loyalty, fight
hard to carry their towns, follow on to
the convention, let the candidate foot
their railroad and hotel fares, and wind
up by sending in their bills later. Com
monty, these are paid without protest.
This is one phase of the use OF money,
generally not much talked Of, but never
theless existent.
IL Is not uncommon, as all candidates
will aver, il pressed, 10 get calls from
their subordinate leaders to the effect
that "things are looking a little bad in
our town; the other side is putting in
money, and unless we can match them,
we're dished." A hundred or two dol
lars would make things come right. OF
course it is not meant that votes are to be
bought, but then, elf we had a little
money we could hire lot Of fellows to
get to work, and could pay others for
their time and expenses on election day."
hands-snd sends the cash. No ques-
tions are asked afterwards. II the town
goes right, rejoicing; il not, vain regrets.
There is never any accounting. Why.
the other question, Is it legitimate use
OF money?
II is not uncommon for candidates,
early in the canvass, while things are
shaping up, to write their friends that at
certain preliminary event Of state impor-
lance, like Fish and Game league out.
ing, Dairymen's meeting, or Grand
Army encampment, they would like to
make a good showing Of strength, and
they would be pleased to pay expenses of
any OF their friends who would go. Re
suit: newspapers report strong senti-
ment for Candidate Smith, people read
reports, believe them and conclude that
Candidate Smith is their fsvorite after
all Another "poser'' for the moraiist-
is this Legitimate" use Of money!
At every stage Of the game political, it
is "money, money, money" We gloss it
over, seek to excuse it, and above all try
to allot the large sums involved to the
realm of Legitimacy, but the fact remains
that more and more, year by year, money
talks in politics.