The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-02-17
DIRECT PRIMARY
DRIVES POOR MEN
. FROM POLITICS
Senator Flint Of California
Will Retire From Seat in
Thst Body
POOR MAN CAN N0l o. ~.'|'',,;,sqs1
WITHOUT SHuNG TO lNif,,5 :
Law Enables the Rich Men Only to
Enter the Field Unless the Money
Is Put up by Some One Else-Costs
More Than Salary.

Is Put up by Some One Else-Costs
More Than Salary.
Washington. Feb. Ito remain q
senator from the Golden state re-
quires more gold than Frank p. Flint
can afford to pay. California has
adopted new direct primary law.
It. has not yet been tried out in a
senatorial election, but, after looking
it over, Mr.. Flint has come to the
conclusion that it will cost him any,
where from $4,000 to SIT, 1000 to make
the race next summer-and then he'll
not be dead certain of reelection.
They've got merry free-for-all fight
on in the ranks of the Republican
party in California. The Lincoln
Roosevelt league is allied against the
machine" which is popularly-or
unpopularly-believed to be the
Southern Pacific, and there's no tell
ing how the. cat will Jump on the
first Tuesday after the first Monday
in November. Even supposing the
Republicans would win and he could
get the nomination with mere show
down. Mr.. Flint believes that he
would be obliged to contribute more
than his entire six years. pay for the
legitimate expenses Of the campaign,
before he began to draw that salary,
and then. on top of that. he'd be ex-
pected to pay out more than his sal
ary every year in Washington to
hold up his end"
"I've looked at it from every angle"
said Senator Flint. "and have come to
the conclusion that the United States
senate is no place for a man of mod
crate means, much less poor man
If he halls from California and must
make his campaign under the new
direct primary law. How much would
1t cost me to run again? really
don't know. Nobody can tell, for It
hasn't been tried. But Id have to
maintain my organization in every
district and every county. practically,
in the state. California is more than
1000 miles long. Therefore I'd have
a territory to cover that would be
as long as from Maine to the Caro-
linas skirting the Atlantic coast.
Why California Is Expensive.
''If the state was compact like some
Of the little New England common
wealths the case might be different,
and the expense less. There are
many towns in California that can
not be reached by railroad, that re-
qutre long stage rides to reach. All
of these would have to be taken care
Of, politically. There would be bands
and halls, carfare to the extent of
hundreds of dollars for speakers-not
TO mention their expenses on the
stump - and the huge newspaper
printing bills. l would have to make
two campaigns in reality, one for the
primary and the other for the cleo
tion. There are eighty members of
the assembly and forty of the senate
to whom the senatorial candidate
must appeal. Altogether it looks to
ME like a very expensive proposition
and one that l cannot afford to ac-
cept. If the direct primary law is
to stand. poor man can newer hope
to run for the senate until after the
passage of some extra legislation for
his protection, some corrupt practices
act that will make the spending of
any money whatever in campaigns
illegal, or for the state itself to de-
fray the expenses.
"Of course, if were so disposed, 1
might run and perhaps come out
whole by allowing friends or friendly
organizations to pay my expenses.
Two or three organizations back
home have offered to contribute $5,-
600 or $4,000 apiece. But no, no.
It's bad enough to have an organiza-
ton or an individual make contribu-
tions to the party; it's out of the
question to think of them putting up
for the candidate personally. He'd
not have spark of independence left
after he got back TO Washington. l
can imagine some fellow coming to
the senate here and calling me out.
Senator he says. 4 put up $4,000 for
your campaign and / want you to do
80 and so.' If did not do it, would
be an migrate; and If l did, l would
be crooked. There you are. So
have turned my back on the senatorial
future. admit that 1 like it. If it
were not for the sake of my family.
! would like nothing better than to
stay In the senate all the rest of my
life. But l owe my family something,
and If l had to spend $4,000 or $780,
900 or $4,000 everv time l ran and
then came to Washington here and
spent more than my salary, it would
not be very long before what little
have saved up would be gone. If
quit now, | can go back home and
take up profitable law practice. II
! wait until the end of another term.
Ill be too old to make good money
at the law. That's why am Jump
ing now."
What 1t Would Cost.
Californians in Washington agree
that Senator Flint is taking the wise
course. 1t would cost him at least