The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-11
CAMP AICN Is HOT
Never Before Was Such Presi-
Dental Campaign Witnessed.
Even Issues This Year Are
New to People.
LARGE SUM OF MONEY SPENT
Wall Street Putting Up for
Woodrow Wilson Only.
Who Is Furnishing Money for
Roosevelt Campaign?
LARGE SUM OF MONEY SPENT

New York, April -11.-Supplementing
the contemplated association of prom
inent lawyers formed for the purpose
of antogonizing the movement in favor
of the recall of the judiciary and jul
dicial decisions. it is seriously purpos-
ed to voice through some formal or
ganization or association the objec-
lions to the wholly new methods which
have prevailed for the past year of
campaigning for presidential nom1na-
tions. One of the foremost lawyers OF
the United States, a man not identi-
fed with political life, has taken pains
recently to study the history of presl-
Dental politics as that history tells
securing the nomination of this or that
candidate for the presidency. This
study revealed to the lawyer that not
until the year 1911 was presidential!
nominating politics ever carried on as
has been the case for the past 1s
months. 1t is a new feature of our
political life. 1t not only does not
appeal to many thoughtful men, but
it is positively distasteful to many
citizens who have been accustomed &c
regard the presidency as an office
whose dignity should be proportionate
to its power and who have been
taught to believe that the presidency
should not be sought by personal
scramble or the presidential nomina-
ton be the prize for which the ch1eI
aspirants contend in public.
There is another feature of preSiden-
tial nomination politics of the pastlS
months which has caused very earn
est discussion. 1t has been said that
the public has heard so much in dis
arrangement of the use of money or Oh
patronage to secure the election OF
delegates presumed to favor this or
that candidate and there have been
such earnest protests against the enor-
nous expenditures of money in presi-
Dental campaigns that it has been the
hope-even the expectation-that public
sentiment would be so thoroughly
aroused because of these money ex-
penditures that a reaction would be
inevitable.
But the recent manner of campaign
ing for presidential nomination in
wolves the expenditures of large sums
of money. OF course. these expend1-
lures cannot be traced or the amounts
raised for this purpose be accurately
ascertained. The laws which require
publication of the expenditures for
political activities do not, apparently,
include the expenditures made by can
didates for the presidential nomination
or by organizations. perfected for the
purpose of securing denomination
for this or that favorite.
1t Must Cost Money.
Yet the most inexperienced of poll
ticians realizes that these pre- conven-
ton activities are costing somebody
great deal of money. These expendi-
lures are not confined to either party
or to the activities in support of any
one candidate.
In the first place, organization head
quarters have been established not only
in Washington, but in other cities
These require funds for the payment
of rent, clerical help, printing and traV-
cling expenses. At one time there were
many six organizations which
had established headquarters in one
or more cities. One or two of those
established in New York city were
found to be incapable of sustaining
themselves and have been abandoned,
but others are fourishing here.
1t has sometimes been said that this
or that candidate for the presidential
nomination is Wall streets candidate
and that Wall street has been furnish
ing the funds for the campaign in be-
half of that candidate. But possibly
with a single exception a statement of
that kind this year would be untrue.
Wall street is not spending any money
for the sake of securing support for
this or that candidate. The nearest
approach to Wall street political funds
of which there is any knowledge is the
campaign carried on by Governo-
Woodrow Wilson and by his friends.
Wall street men did contribute q purse
in aid of the campaign Woodrow Will
son made for governor of New Jersey.
It is presumed that some part of the
large expenditure which Governor Will
sons campaign in support of his o.
nomination has entailed was and Is now