The Washington herald., 1912-06-27
Not for Poor Men.

We should like to ask Mr.. Perkins
and perhaps some of his associates in
the management of Mr.. Roosevelt's dis
astrous exploits how much the pri-
mary elections cost in Illinois, Penn
sylvania, Maryland, and New Jersey.
We know now that the new primary
system calls for the expenditure of a
lot of money, and that poor folk" have
no business at all fooling with it. Not
being suited to their means, it makes
them only so many pawns on the po-
litical chessboard to be used at will
by the masters of the game.
A metropolitan paper records after
investigation that in Pennsylvania alone
100000 was spent TO bring the people
to realization of their obligations "as
good citizens to the cause of honest
politics" In the other three States no
doubt twice that amount was expended,
so that a total of 100000 in the four
States is not high estimate What forl
To secure the rule of the people? No;
for the aggrandizement of Theodore
Roosevelt. We wish that Representative
Pujo had his authority extended so as
to include this phase of the money"
trust
In the primary elections the oppor-
tunity for fraud ought to be far greater
than in general elections, because the
party lines are not drawn 50 sharply.
That this is so is being vouched for BY
a keen observer who happened to be
in Boston when the Massachusetts Pres
idential primary was held. He reports
that large numbers of Republicans vot-
ed against Mr.. Taft, not because they
liked him less than his opponent, but
because they imagined that in this way
they might embarrass the common en-
emy. That was very poor politics-even
dishonest-but it was possible under the
primary system, and it has been prac-
ticed in other States as well, just be-
cause primaries are not well guarded, or
else their cost would be as great as
that of the general elections, and that
only very few States could stand.
We may be wrong but does this not
teach that such expenditure Of vast
sums makes it impossible for the man
without money to go into politics, in
asmuch as in some States the law is
that the candidate has to foot the bill
OF the primary and election? In Kan
sas they are assessed" before they can
enter the race, and this assessment is
graded according to the salary and per
quisites of the Office for which the can
didate is running. Besides, the man de-
string square deal has to pay for his
own watchers at the polls. In one of !
the Western States a candidate for |
governor spent $4,000 in his race,
and his opponent, who did not have the
money, spent $4,000 At the primary
in South Carolina for United States
Senator the best fitted" man expended |
$4,000 for legitimate purposes and was
defeated. This could be duplicated in |
all States where the primary system is
in force to determine who shall run for
Office.
The system breeds corruption. Indeed, |
it invites corruption. And it fails of its
very purpose-that of giving the people
the opportunity of selecting the best
men to represent them. 1t multiplies
elections. 1t operates against the man
of small means. 1t wearies the people
with politics. Considering the dose of
primaries with which we have just been
blessed it seems desirable TO renounce
this system for the public good or make
it countrywide, checked by a Federal
corrupt practices act with the most
stringent restrictions.