The Seattle Republican. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1???-1915, 1910-11-25
COMMITTEES sUPERFLUoUs

Are campaign committees any longer necessary? IS
question that politicians in the state of Washington
are asking each other since the last election In other
words are two campaigns the desideraum for the po-
litica ills and complaints The primary campaign in
most of the counties of this state hot one and
those seeking Republican nominations were active in
their own interests So hot was the Republican cam
paign that all of the Democrats in the state for the
time being became Republicans In King county after
the primary contest over the newly elected cen
tra committee organized and set about to conduct an
old fashion campaign between the two patles, but
the nominees did not it that way and absolutely re-
fused to give any funds to the committee and as re-
suit the individual members of the committee were
compelled to dig down in their own pockets and pay
for rent of the headquarters and such other expenses
as the committee dared to incur. SO lncensed were
most of the members of the committee at the treat
ent accorded them that pretty nearly all OF them Sc
lected some one OF the regular Republican nominees
and went after him hard with the view of defeating
him and electing his Democratic opponent, but even
that did not move the candidates to put money in
to the campaign. AS a result the hundred dollar
per week chairman and secretary got nothing for their
work The day before the election it predicted by
one of the members of the committee that the major
part of the Republican ticket would be defeated, but
he was mistaken.
It is barely possible that the average campaign com
mittee seldom if ever changes vote and the money
candidates are concerned The voters read the papers
and they occasionally get out and listen to spell
binder but if no spell binder puts in his appearance
the voter would vote his sentiments just the same.
The time will yet come and many of us now living will
see it. when the people will elect the men they desire
to hold office and not go through with the nomination
process Parties do good in shaping the politics
of the country the best advantage but as the parties
of this country have been conducted for the past quar-
ter of century, it is the concensus OF opinion that
thew do more harm than good Measures, however
meritorous they may be opposed by first one party
and then the other for the sake of party advantage
and often they are absolutely killed because the minor
ty power is not willing for the majority party to get
the credit or vice versa The voters OF the state OF
Washington have almost reached the conclusion that
the old central committee idea is as useless IN these
latter days of party reform the old torch light pro-
cession In the last campaign in King county 1t is safe
to saw that not to exceed five per cent OF the voters
heard single campaign speech. Campaigning as 1t
was conducted few years ago is almost thing OF
the past The United States will never again see
Mark Hanna presidential campaign. Nor will the
state of Washington again see an Albert Z.
Mead gubernatorial campaign While it may be put
ting great deal of power into the hands OF the news