The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-07-27
DEMOCRATS AND
REPUBLICANS IN
NEED Of FUNDS
Lawrence Says G. o. P. Is
Hurt by $1,000 Limit While
Frisco Convention Was Ex-
penSive for Delegates.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE,
Especial Correspondent Of The News
SemltAr,)

CHICAGO. July 27.-Campaign H.
nances Of both the Republican and Dem
ocrattc parties are in none too good
condition. Each side Is Handicapped
by a peculiar set of circumstances en-
tirely apart from the supposed restraints
which the senate investigating com
nlttee was expected 10 apply this year
to excessive spending.
The Republicans are embarrassed
because in moment Of indsCretion
they committed themselves to $1,000
as the limit Of the contributions.
something that not only prominent Re
publicans but unlocking Democrats say
is wholly impractical for a short cam
paign. The Democrats are affected by
no such limits and can take any sums
lney please. but Wilbur Marsh, Demo
cratic national treasurer, who was here
today, declared the Democrats would
reserve the right TO refuse to accept
contributions from sources not deemed
sufficiently disinterested. The Demo
Gratis, however, are in bad shape be
cause the San Francisco convention
took at least $500 apiece for travel and
motel expenses from the individual
delegates and also delayed the organ
iEation OF the Democratic campaign
committee so that while the Republicans
nave been at work for several weeks.
the Democrats haven't even begun Aud
every day counts in the canvass for
funds before election day Collecting
money for a deficit after the election
result Is once known is an almost i'm
possible task
The theory behind the Republican
approach TO the question of finance is
entirely different from that being
adopted by the Democrats The Re-
publicans are depending upon large
subscriptions up TO $1,000. and they
much harder 10 get 5000 persons to
contribute $1,000 apiece than II is TO
get $4,000 persons 10 give 800 each,
Tor the first must be accomplished by
individual canvass and soliciting while
the second might be collected through
70 build one. II isn't that 5000 Repub-
leans can't be found to give 81 900 each,
but all contributions must be made
public and the art of giving money to
campaigns is not highly developed cx-
cept in small circle in both Re-
publican and Democratic parties
The best system yet devised is the
one the Democrats established lust
after the close OF the 1916 campaign
when they found themselves confronted
Iowa, director of finance. organized a
regular financial factory which did
nothing but write chain letters ask
ing for small subscriptions Five men
would be asked TO give small sums,
Tor instance, and each requested to
az Ni't iaHlto VI llNt bNIltI persons
who might be interested in contribut-
ing equal amounts In that way the
Democrats have acquired mailing list
OF about 300 names. They collected
In this way nearly s., 600, 900 in the two
years following the last presidential
election, and they consider the ad-
vantages twofold. First, the money
comes from so many contributors that
there is no chance for any individual TO
have a disproportonate hold on the
successful candidate when he takes
price, and second, the increased num-
Der OF subscribers means an almost
equivalent number of volunteer work |
FRS on election day.