Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-09-02

lures. failed to throw any light on
the sl5.000,o oo fund which Governor
Cox charged the Republican party was
seeking to raise I'm an attempt to cor
rupt the American electorate and buy
the presidency"
The committee heard Rerre gents tive
NJ y. Flood of Virginia, chairman Of
the Democratic congressional "a mpa e n
committee and former Representative
( Joseph l.. Rhineock. Of Kentucky, treas
urer of the committee
Outstanding points in the maze Of
figures through which the committee
struggled we're
Testimony by Mr. Hays that the Re
publican national committees budget
for the presidential campaign called for
expenditure of s3,079,o372o
Declaration by Mr. Cummings that,
allowing for the Increase cost Of
printing. clerical hire, rents transpor.
| tntion and all necessities Of national
campaign a national committee should
be able to stage "a fair. decent and stiff
campaign with reasonable publicity"
for $4,000, 600. With that amount Of
money he said. the national chairman
, need not worry over finances
| Mr.. Hays also testified the Republican
! national committee was seeking to raise
| approximately 81 100000 to be donated to
state committees for their local cam
| paigns making a total of slightly more
than $4,000, 900 in the Republican campo On
chest for all purposes
TOO MUCH. SAYS CUMMINGS
Mr.. Cummings declared he believed this
amount was excessive and pointed to the
1916 campaign. saving he learned in his
home State Of Connecticut, the Republ-
cans spent S250.00h in that year. He con
sidered this was too much for a common
wealth OF that size.
IF YOU let the State committees run
wild he said, you get an accumulated
expenditure which in Itself is an out
standing evidence of corrupt purpose !
suggest that this is Just what is going
to happen to the Republicans this wear.
Has either party any monopoly in this
| practice" asked Senator Edge.
| There Is no monopoly upon the sys-
tenn" rejoined Mr.. Cummings. but there
is no doubt about the Republican sue.
cess in that direction.
Both Mr. Hays and Mr. Cummings re-
! fused to discuss details of their commit
tee financing, asserting that as chairmen
! they had only a general knowledge of
such subjects and that the books and
/
have to be relied upon in that respect
/ Neither knew of any large individual
contributions and Mr., Hays was rather
! positive that the Republican plan to
limit individual gifts 10 $1,000 was be-
| ing carried out successfully. He knew
! Of thirty eight exceptions to the rule.
| the largest being for $4,000. two for
! $1,000 and the other thirty-five for
| leGSer amounts
Mr.. Cummings explained that or
ganization Of which he was chairman
was poverty stricken when he assumed
that office and that he left to his
successor 1851 in cash and net in
debtedness of slightly more than
100000
A chasge by Mr. Hays that as early
as July 1919. the Democratic commit
tee had installed an elaborate fund
gathering organization in the Bull
Building in Washington was explained
by Mr.. Cummings as a bureau for both
propaganda and finance. He said il
grew from a hope" but was reduced
in size when it was found that the
overhead charges for maintaining the
organization exceeded the receipts by
from $4,000 to $4,000 a month.
AGREE ON ONE THING.
! The two chairman agreed that leg
islation looking to federal control OF
presidential campaigns was desirable
senator Pomerene argued that Con-
gress was powerless at present because
the Supreme Court had held that presi'
Dental electors We're State officials.
A suggestion that a constitutions
amendment might be necessary to give
Congress oversight OF presidential cam
paigns brought from Mr.. Hays a propose
that the parties might unite in an effor
to obtain such a change In the basic
law.
Earlier in the day Mr. Hays hao
hoped that this committee will recon-
mend the passage of bill regulating pri
mary election expenses in national, con
gressiona and senatorial campaigns.
He also favored having all priniar!
elections for federal offices held on
single day in every State.
Representative Flood estimated $4,000
would be required by his Democratic con
gressional committee to conduct its eff
forts properly. but presented figured T.
show that he had received only 5000 II
subscriptions. He turned the money owe
to the Democratic national committee
he said, and expected that committee Il
finance his congressional campaigns
\ DEMOCRATIC ITEM
J Questioning Of Representative Floo
brought that he had had printed by tn
public printer at Washington 10000
copies Of speeches by Democratic con
gressmen He had pledged his commit
tee to pay s5,09s.16 for the printing. h
said, The epeeches were being sent GU
under congressional frank, thereby elm
mating postage bills. His committee
he said, would need $4,000 for its admin
istration expenses. 1t pays no rem,
as it uses the House Office building a
Washington for headquarters, he said.
Joseph L. Rhinock, treasurer of tn
committee, said he could shed no ligh
on receipts or expenditures
On questioning Mr.. Cummings Chair
man Kenyon asked how much money
would take to buy the American cleo
torate, saying Governor Cox had charge
that the Republicans were raisin
$4,000 1000 for this purpose,
I"Harding couldn't be elected no matte
how much money Is spent in his behalf.
, rejoined Mr., Cummings Governor Co
did not say that the American electoral
could be bought for $l5. 900. but he di
. say an attempt was being made to d
So"
The witness could not say how man
federal officials were at the San Fran
, cisco convention, but referred the con-
mlttee to the convention records.
} Fred w. Upham Republican nations
! treasurer. will be the first witness tc
morrow, Senator Kenyon announced whe
tho committee adiournsu. He will /