The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1919-12-10
REPUBLICANS START
TO GET SLUSH FUND
W. w. Durbih Charges $I2,5OO
Was Gathered in Gin.
cinnrti Alone

Washington, DC Charges that
the Republican managers already
have started to gather an immense
slush fund for the campaign of 10
90, and that it may total 500, o00,-
900 IL the present ration is kept up,
have been made by w. w. Durbin,
chairman of the Ohio emocratic
Executive Committee, in an open
letter to Chairman Homer s. Cum
mings of the Democratic National
Committee.
The evidence upon which Mr..
Durbin bases his charge is a letter
sent from Cincinnati by J. B. Doan,
r. X. LeBlond, and Fred A. Geier,
each of whom admits contributing
$1,000 to a preliminary Republican
campaign fund as a result of meet
ing there on October 20, which was
addressed by Will H. Hays, chair
man of the Republican National
Committee. In a letter, dated Nov.
4, the men named state that "a
large fund must be obtained i'm
mediately, largely for the purpose
of an educational campaign" and
that lit is not a political problem
as much as it is commercial prob
lem," as "the existence of your bust
ness depends upon having an ad-
ministration whose attitude will be
fair and equitable to all chsses of
society"
The result of the meeting at the
Cincinnati Business Mems Club was
subscriptions totaling $12,500 from
IT men, and meetings have been
held in other Ohio manufacturing
cities.
In his letter to OhairWan Cum
mings, Mr. Durbin says that under
the personal direction of Mr.. Hays
meetings have been conducted to
secure money from "big business
men of the State beyond all dreams
of avarice,' and. he considers the
J 1920 canvass as "a commercial
problem" to be significant in view
Of the nations present prosperity.
Hanna's Methods.
Mr.. Durbin says that money is
! being sought to bring about re-
turn of the good old days Of Mark
Hanna, when group as radical in
their views as the radicals of today
of another class, were in control"
He notes a similarity in the methods
of Hanna and Hays in the summon
ing of huge business and financial
interests to support the Republican
| ticket.
"Then" he says, the nation was
put on the auction block and sold
to the highest bidder. There never
was so much corruption in any ten
national campaigns before that
time" meaning 1896, 1900 and IS
o.. Nov the same old big inter
ests are being told that the safety
of their business depends upon the
size of their contributions to the
Republican slush fund. They have
held meetings in Cincinnati, Day
ton, Cleveland, Columbus and in
other manufacturing centers. Ev-
cry big business representative is
| helping to gather in the shekels.
"If carried on throughout the ma
tion-and l am sure 1t Is, as Will
Hays is doing nothing else now-it
will produce a slush fund of $780,
OOe ,eo0 with which to buy the 1899
elections and put big business once
more in the saddle. Then they ex-
pect big business to reap its divi-
dends a thousand fold, as it did
once before.
There is sreat danger of Boil
shevism in America. 1t is cropping
out here AL there, bat. IL the Re-
publican party and its main spoasrs
and financial baskee are pH int
power again, the agiAtor and ne
preacher Of Bslshevism will fnd a
soil 50 fertile in whfct % pl.H his
propaganda crop tha the harvest
yielded may shake the SOundstions
n