The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-03-28
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BORNU AND CAMPAIGN ENPINSE.S
one must incyfahy agroe with Senator Borah
In his indiEnaht protest against tho profIigate
use Of money In primary campaigns Certainly
oklahoma republicans who fcol themselves un-
clean and dscrcditcd as a result Of a party cam
paign recently concluded whore the' dollar as a
candidate won over clean constructive political
ability. viii heartily endorse his position
But os to the remedy there viii be a division
Of opinion lie proposes a law forbdding cam
paiRn expenditures beyond a certain arbitrarily
fixed figure The most that can be expected OF
that law ia that It will make men liars and
put insurrnountnbe ohsiaclcs In the road OF The
basicy honest man In politics There are
number of such laws In existence virtually
dead letters. too, by popular consent sIhce It
ls generally understood that they fan within
that class Of laws which tho great Treuchman,
Domontcsqulc. well says are in tho very nature
OF things a nullity
You can't make mon honest by political enact
mont And the man who would contribute to
the corruption Of an electorate win very natural.
~ aud certainly commit perjury to protect him
self We have such laws In Oklahoma Some
years ago the Legislature solcmnly enacted that
candidate for governor should spend more
than $4,000 in his primary campaign. one map
finding himself within few dollars OF the
deadlino did cancel his engagements and return
home two weeks before the primary At least
that In the story But with that possible oxcep-
tion has made the campaign, which
In tantnmount to saying that man has since
been governor, that dld not spend many times
tho amount and then make the necessary affi-
davit
Senator Borah is as Illogical In asserting that
81 900 por state Is enough for presidential
primary campaign he is In inforrlng that
such an amount IL necessary under all condl-
tlons; that every man who contributes to tho
candidacy Of a man does so for ulterior pur-
poses. who would not have strained his credit
10 have brought about the instant election OF
Cleveland or Roosevelt when government was
flexing the knee to organized lawlessncss dur
Ing the late fall and early winter? Is 1t unnatural
that many men OF large means are willing to
contribute heavily for the election of some
man who will represent the antithesis of the
administration now in power-and without max
ing a single condition?
Patriotism is not dead in America; 1t has
only been sleeping We believe there are hun
drods OF men that would divide their fortunes
country adopt the policy with respect to the
league of nations that the Idaho senator has so
ably and consistently espoused. 1t is unsafe to
attribute improper motives without substantial
facts on which to base them
As a matter of fact. however worthy the stand
taken by Senator Borah. he appears in very bad
company; as tho spokesman OF an indefcnstble
faction, His interest is of course, with the candl-
holding his own in the contest with Leonard
wood and Frank Lowdcn. To that extent he Is
in court with clean hands But he holds a
brief supplied him by John n King, the first
Woods manager who was dropped overheard;
and his underlng, Jake Hamon. OF this state.
tho two men who committed the very acts
now complained Of while representing Wood
and who charge Wood with tho matter in
order to got even for the humiliation Of having
been dropped by wood.
There Is no question concerning this at all
Tho New York World. which first spread the
story Of millions behind wood" simply pub
lished what King supplied, The World bitter
partisan paper, was actuated by tho permissible
desire to throw CONSERVATION into the ranks OF
tho opposition So that no particular culpabil-
ity attaches to either the world or Borah. But
what is to be said OF King and Hamon2
when they were asked to relieve the wood
forces of embarrassment by Withdrawing from
active connection herewith. they not only re-
fused to show their good faith by continuing
Wood supporters, but King refused to make
any statement Of monies either received or dis
bursed. The Wood organization remains in ig-
norancc Of the King activities to this good day,
And the only part OF the wood campaign either
as TO contributions or disbursements on which
there is the slightest cloud Is that part conduct
ed by King. Hamon ct al
Senator Borah does himself disservice and
tries the patience OF his friends in permitting
himself to be the catspaw FOR such characters
:-
SENATOR KINSONS PROPOSALS.
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