The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-10-16
(The Statesman. ]

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9.-It is be
ing demonstrated more and NOR,
clearly every day that the dullness O
the present campaign is in no large
measure attributable to the lack Of
funds with which to buy fire
works The fact that both candi
dates have promised to publish a list
| of campaign contributions has ham.
| pered the respective campaign treas.
urers in the collection of money, and
] without money there can be none OF
the red fire and sky-rockets' that
have made previous campaigns inter-
esting and enjoyable.
Publicity of Contributions.
This question of publicity of cam
1 paign contributions has two sides.
There is much to be said in favor Of
it, and much against it. 1t will ap-
peal to certain classes OF the people,
but to the average politician it is
very bad business for as long as
there is publicity, so long will there
be a scarcity OF money, and when
money is scarce, the campaign must
necessarily lack life and interest.
Aside from the participation of
President Roosevelt and the expo
sures made by Mr.. Hearst, the pres
ent campaign has been unusually dull
and lifeless. Such part as the pres
ident has taken, Of course, had no
bearing on the campaign fund, and
the president would have been heard
from had the Golfers been full. And
SO far as Mr.. Hearst is concerned, he
pays his own campaign expenses ont
Of his own pocket Hearst has his
millions, and he likes to spend them
in playing politics. There is no pub
licity about his fund; no question
about it. Everybody. knows that when
he needs money to conduct a cam
paign, he draws it out of his personal
bank account. And so, it appears,
that the only real life injected into
the campaign has come from sources
not affected by the publicity of policy
of the opposing candidates.
Great Need of Money.
But. out through the country at
large the campaign has been dragging
along lazily. There have been few
men of prominence on the stump;
there has been comparatively little lit
erature put in circulation; there
have been fewer rallies and mass
meetings, and less display of all
kinds. And all due to the scarcity of
money. 1t takes cash to send stump
speakers around the country; it takes
more cash to advertise; it requires
money to hire halls, bands and speak
ers; money for banners, etc.
Both Parties Affected.
OF course neither party has an ad-
vantage over the other on the finance
question this campaign, for both par
ties are committed to publicity, and
both treasurers are experiencing the /
same difficulty in getting funds. Here
tofore the bulk of campaign contribu-
tions to both parties have been made
by men Of great wealth; this year
these ordinarily heavy contributors
are holding onto their money, for
they do not want their names and
contributions made known.
Appeal to People Ineffective.
Cutting off the principal source of
funds, has forced the Re-
publican and Democratic treasurers
to appeal directly to the masses of
the people something they never
had to do before. 1t is new meth
cd of financing campaign, and very
naturally the first attempt under the
new system is very burdensome on
the men charged with the collection
Of the fund. 1t means appeals to
new contributors; the initiation of
new collection methods; it means
employing more expensive means that
were heretofore necessary, and it
naturally means delay Both parties
made the mistake of selecting cor
poration men for campaign treas
lrers; men not familiar with the
methods of appeal made necessary
by the publicity pledge; hence the
embarrassment.
Would Relegate Idea.
II old-time campaigners could {
lave their way, this publicity idea