La Junta tribune., 1912-10-05
Primary Expsnss Accounts.

up about -. 800 for the luxury Of in
dulging in the recent primary cleo
ton. the bills OF which are to be
audited and allowed at the regular
monthly meeting Of the county COM
missioners next week. About 1000
votes were cast at the primary
election, OF which 1900 were OF the
democratic persuasion and about 500
standpat republican. This Is an av-
eraxe OF $225 for each vote cast, and
1t Is extremely doubtful whether the
results OF the primary Justified the
expense.
Instead OF certifying lists OF candi-
dates to be voted on at primary
elections why not let the lists be
certified for the general election, and
let an actual election be made at
the general election by all the peo-
pie directly from the entire lists
80 certified. This method. OF course.
would not meet the approval OF the
politicians. rs IL would virtually ne
cessitAte an educational QuAlt4lra-
ton. and practically eliminate herd
ing OF voters by either party. \ vot-
er would also have to be able 10 read
and write. and be intelligent enough
to make personal choice. and why
not! Many OF the political Ills that
now afflict Us would be wiped out
Of existence by an educational quail
fication, and this method OF cert.
Tying nominations would put the po-
litical boss out of existence alto
gether. which was the main purpose
Of the primary Law In the first In
stance
Under the primary law every can
didatc for nomination must within
ten days succeeding the primary cleo.
tion file N Nsmtsed statement OF
HIS expenditures. duly sworn %,
with the officer with whom his de-
cIarstsOn Of candidacy WAS filed. The
penalty for failure To do 70 10 .
fine ct not i~ss thnn 500 and not
more than $500. or imprisonment n
the county jail not less than ten
days nor more than six months. Most
OF the candidates In this county. In
view OF the penalty. probably. have
filed their expense accounts with
the county clerk.
Only two of the republican caldi
dates Contested TO having blown then
selves at all X G. Inge squander.d
a sum total OF sass. most OF which
was for railroad fare. and V. Albera
got rid of $3.50. OF which amour,
81 30 was for railroad fare and 20
cents for cigars and soda water.
Chairman Philhour. Of the demo
cratic county central committee. re-
cciyed donations from various demo
cratic candidates thusly; J, \. eau.
ger. $50: II. W. Potter. s2j: T. II,
Wilson. $40; +. ". Mcdaniel. s25; G.
T. McCauley. s2o. J. @. washburn,
$40. W r Barnard. SO The total
OF tn. fabulous sums was used IN
polling the precincts for the good ant
welfare OF hopeless cause.
W. X. Cartwright blew In 1880
70 win the nomination for county
commissioncr-s3 for automobiles
SIG for cigars. and sio5o for meals.
printing and railroad fare.
j. G. washburn depleted his bank
roll TO the tune OF si0O55-iT.50 OF
this amount being squandered on
sccgars. s2s Tor Joy rides. sii.7j for
travelling expenses. and only t5.to
or printing.
George r. McCauley WAS the star
performer In a financial way In t1c
primary campaign. and heads the
list with an expenditure OF &i37 40
$3.50 for bcnsinc buggy rides. $50
for polling precincts. Si3.75 for print.
Ing. and 1t5.?5 went up In smoke by
the campaign sccgar route.
W. r. Barnard contributed go To
Chairman PhilhoH for the pr~liminar =!
primary campaign. and Jared toose
from $685. for printing and railroad
fare.