The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-07-27
PARTY FINANCES
In PLIGHT
G. o. p. Embarrassed by Limit
on Contributions
Gratis Get Late Start.
fax DAVID lAwRENcEl

downright for The Chattanooga News)
Chicago, ILL.,, July 27.-Campaign
finances of both the republican and dem
ncra.ic parties are in none too good con-
siition. Each side is handicapped by a
peculiar set of circumstances entirely
! apart from the supposed restraints whch
the senate investigating committee was
expected to apply this year to excessive
spending.
The republicans are embarrassed be-
cause in a moment of indiscretion they
committed themselves TO $1,000 as the
limit of the contributions, something
that not only prominent republicans but
Unlocking democrats say is impractical
for a short campaign. The democrats
are affected to no such limits and can
take any sums they please, but Wilbur
Marsh. democratic national treasurer
who was here today, declared the dem
ocrats would reserve the right to re-
fuse to accept contributions from
sources not deemed sufficiently disin-
terested.
Democrats Have Problem, Too.
The democrats, however, are In bad
shape because the San Francisco con-
vention took at least $500 a piece for
travel and hotel expenses from the In
dividual delegates and also delayed the
organization OF the democratic cam
paign committee, so while the repub-
licane have been at work for several
weeks, the democrats haven't begun
And every day counts In a canvass for
funds before election day. Collecting
money for a deficit after the election
possible task.
The theory behind the republican APP
proach to the question of finance is en-
tireiy different from that being adopted
~ the democrats. The republicans are
depending upon large subscriptions up
10 81 900 and they must raise at lenst
Sb,610, 900. II ia much harder to get
$500 persons to contribute u 900 piece
than Il Is TO get the $4,000 persons To
give 500 each, for the first must be
accomplished by individual canvass and
soliciting, while .the second might be
solicited through mail organization II
there were time TO build one. II isn't
that 5000 republicans can't be found TO
give $1,000 each. but all contributions
must DO made public and the art of Civ
ing money TO campaigns is not highly
developed except in, a small circle In
both republican and democratic parties.
Best System Yet Devised.
The best system yet devised is the
one the democrats established just after
the close of the 1915 campaign, when
they found themselves confronted with
deficit, Wilbur Marsh. Of Iowa. treas
urer, and w. ID. Jameson, also of Iowa,
director Of finance. organized a regular
financial factory which did nothing but
write chain letters asking for small sub
scriptions. Five men would be asked TO
give small sums for instance, and each
requested to send In the names OF Ave
other persons who might be interested
In contributing equal amounts. In that
way the democrats have acquired a
mailing list of about 500. 900 names.
They collected in this way nearly ST.
O00.0 900 in the two years following the
last presidential election. and they con-
slider the advantages two-fold. First,
the money comes from so mny contrib
utors tht there Is no chance for any
Individual to have a disproportlonate
hold on the successful candidate when
he takes ONCE, and second. the in
number means an almost equiv