The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-08-24
Unless He Can Show $751;
100000 Campaign Fund
His Cause Is Hurt
BARNES PRINTING
REPUBLICAN BOOK
Very Large Subscriptions Made to tt
National Republican Committee De-
MES Connection With Venture - No
Chance to Learn State Expenses.
Bv DAVID LAWRENCE.


Copyright 1920
WASHINGTON, Aug. 24-Charges
~ Governor Cox of the intention to
ather a $l5,00O.0O0 Republican cam
paign fund may shift the issues and
nit the entire face of the campaign.
Should the Democratic nominee fail to
prove these charges, they will be a
boomerang against him. On the other
hand. should he be able to present con-
winding evidence of a Republican fnan-
eial scheme of such stupendeus proper
tons. the incident is fully expected
here 10 be the sensation of the cam
paign.
Curiosity. of course, has been raised
here to the breaking point over the
proofs that Governor Cox must have to
hack up his charges but administration
anicials 20 not seem to be in on the Sc
cret. The extent of their information
appears to be in connection only with
the book known as Republicanism in
1920. which is being published by Will
L
plant. the Albany IN. W Journal, sub
scriptions to which ranged far above
the 81 900 limit for campaign subscrip-
tions set by the Republican managers.
| The national Republican committee has
denied official connection with the book
although Senator Harding and Others
| have endorsed the doctrine and the en-
| terprise.
= e. a. har &c n
ing illegal about the issuance of the
book. The Democrats, however, want
tc know if that Il the way the Repnb-
leans are to issue their usual campaign
textbook which ordinarily is paid for
out of national committee funds. To
get a textbook printed privately for
the use of Republican 81 ,akers means
big saving. The Democrats may call
it an evasion but the Republicans have
certainly hit upon a method of economy
for their national committee.
The truth about expenditures IL con
tanned in that very incident. however,
because it shows the narrow limits of
federal laws governing the publicity of
campaign contributions.
Governor Cox, in all probability, has
reference to state funds which are gath
cred for state purposes by both parties
a. rule and used in the interest of
national candidates. 1t Is difficult to
draw the line in a campaign wherein
state and federal offices are placed TO-
gether on the same campaign posters
and in the same advertising literature.
| For instance, in the 1916 campaign one
| of the political parties in a mid western
state actually certified to the expcndi-
| ture by the national committee of only
| 100000. when inside the state some
| thing like $600,00 was spent. 1t was
| spent partly by a state committee and
partly by political organization that
| was independently instituted for the
purpose of dispensing the funds. I'm
| fortunately for the side that spent
/ the money, the state cast its electoral
| vote the other way.
| In fact, it is an interesting commen-
tary on campaign expenditures that the
| places where most money is spent usu-
/ ally furnish the surprises on election
/ day. The Democrats in 1916 spent
| most of their money in eastern states
and won the election through the west
| ern states. The Republicans lost some
| of the eastern states where they ha6
/ spent considerable money
So long as the federal laws can reach
1 only the national political organizers
| there is no central authority that
can compel publicity by state commit
fees or Independent political organiza-
tons supporting the national ticket
| such as business men 3 leagues, and as
| sociations of particular employers or
| employees. Thus the total funds spent
in this presidential campaign will never
be known. Governor Cox may have in
his possession the quotas set for each