Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1911-11-30
An0Irr TEE PRIMARY.

Register: Every thoughtful student
Of the primary as a system OF nomi
mating candidates realizes that thu
one most valid and vital criticism
against 1t as It exists in this stat
and many others Is the expense In
volved. The whole country affects
to be shocked over the information
that Senator Stephenson Of Wiscon
sin spent something over $10O,00'
in the primary which resulted II
his nomination and election to thu
senate. But scores of witnesses hav'
sworn that they never heard Of
dollar of that great sum spent cor
ruptly. The evidence shows un
doubtedly that the aged and wealthy
senator was IAN easy mark" Nearly
anybody could get money out o.
him, but there has not been scraI
of testimony to convict him or any
of his political agents OF bribery
And anyone who has had the ex'
perience of making canvass even
Of o single county as candidate be-
fore the primary can easily under
stand how 100000 could be spent
in campaigning "a whole state, and
every dollar Of 1t spent for purposes
which everybody recognizes as legi-
innate. The Register has hereto
fore referred to the campaign OF
Jonathan Bourne Jr. for the senate
In Oregon. Citizens Of that state
have told the writer Of this that
Bourne's expense for postage alone
could not have been less than $685.
900, while his total expense must
have run considerably over $780,
900. Senator Flint, of California,
declined to be candidate for re-
election because he said a primary
campaign of that state could not be
made for less than $125,000, and
he did not have the money. 1t was
common report last year that the
friends of Tom Wagstaff made up
a purse of $4,000 to finance his
campaign, and that Governor Stubs
spent considerably more than that.
The postage bill alone of one OF the
candidates for governor in the COM
ing campaign has already approach
ed, IL 1t has not exceeded, one years
salary of that office, and the cleo
ton is still a year away. Nobody
has ever accused any of these gem
tlemen of the corrupt use Of money.
They simply spent 1t in sending out
In holding meetings with
their attendant expense of hall rent,
and music, and In other
ways that are entirely legitimate.
This paper ventures the prediction
that unless the law is changed no
man will ever again be elected gov
ernor of Kansas except one of indie
pendent fortune-barring Of course,
some political revolution that might
sweep into the office the candidate
Of the minority party who had been
given the nomination by default.
And because a candidate spends
great sums on a primary campaign 1t
loes not at all follow, as the Journal
that he has bought the
election. Nobody has ever charged
hat Mr.. Bourne bought his election
In Oregon. There has been no proof
rs yet that Mr.. Stephenson bought
his election in Wisconsin. And in
the nature Of things that could
hardly be so. AS we recall the tes-
.imony something like $4,000 votes
we're cast for Mr.. Stephenson, and
be is only charged with spending
B107, 900. 1t is absurd to maintain
hat $4,000 voters were bought at
he average rate Of less than 81 a
read. 1t is absurd to maintain that
The majority Of voters of any state
n the Union could be bought with
money to support candidate whom
otherwise they would not vote for.
indeed the fundamental argument OF
he primary system is based on just
hat proposition, that nobody can
luy the electorate Of an entire state.
TO charge that this was done in
Wisconsin would, 1t seems to us, be
he severest possible indictment OF
he system, for 1t would be an ad-
mission that a whole electorate can
,e bought II one is willing to spend
he money. But Of course that is
lot true. Mr.. Stephenson's money
vas not spent in bribing men to vote
or him who would not otherwise
lave done SO; 1t was spent in Great
ng public sentiment for him and in
setting the men who intended to
'ote for him to come out to the
'olls and cast their ballot.
theoretically the primary is a per-
ect system of making nominations,