Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-26
BOTH PARTIES FACE
FINANCIAL DEFICIT
DURING CAMPAIGN
Set of Circumstances and
Collection Method Will
Be Handicap.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

CHICAGO. ILL.,, July 26.-Campaign
finances of both the republican and
the democratic parties are in none
too good condition. Each side is
handicapped by "a peculiAyssets ef aciFr.
cumstances entirely apart from the
restraints which the. Senate
investiEating comrnittee W&S5e1t6aeA3
to apply this year to excessive :spend-.
ing. ~ - Y l54 ,f.a-s.. ~.
The republicans are embarrassed.
because in q moment Of tndiscretion
they committed themselves to $1,000
as the limit of the contributions,
something that not only prominent
republicans but Unlocking democrats
say is wholly impractical Tor q snort
campaign. The democrats are anect-
ed by no such limits and can take
any sums they please. but Wilbur
Marsh, democratic national treasurer.
who was here today. declared the
democrats would reserve the right to
refuse to accept contributions from
sources not deemed sufficiently dis
interested.
Heavy Democratic Expenses.
The democrats, however. are in bad
shape because the San Francisco con-
yention took at least $500 apiece for
travel and hotel expenses from indi-
vidual delegates and also delayed the
organization of the democratic cam
paign committee SO that while the
republicans have been at work for
even begun. And every day counts in
a canvass for funds before election
day. Collecting money for deficit
after the election result Is once
known is an almost Impossible task.
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 to get 5000 persons to
contribute $1,000 apiece than it is to
get $4,000 persons to give 500 each,
for the first must be accomplished by
individual canvass and soliciting while
the second might be collected through
a mail organization il there were
time to build one. It isn't that 5000
republicans can't be found to give
81 600 each, but all contributions must
be made public and the art OF giving
money to campaigns is not highly de-
veloped except in a small circle in
both republican and democratic
parties.
Democrats Have Best System.
The best system yet devised is the
after the close of the 1916 campaign,
when they found themselves con-
fronted with a deficit. Wilbur Marsh
Of Iowa, treasurer, and w. D. Jane
son. also of Iowa, director of finance,
organized a regular financial factory,
which did nothing but write chain
letters asking for small subscriptions
Five men would be asked to give
small sums, for instance. and each re-
ouested to send in the names of five
other persons who might be inter-
ested in contributing equal amounts.
In that way the democrats have ac-
ouired a mailing list of about 100000
names. they collected in this way
nearly two million dollars in the two
years following the last presidential
election, and they consider the ad-
vantage two-fold. First. the money
comes from so many contributors
that there is no chance for any ipdi-
vidual to have a disproportionate
hold on the successful candidate when
he takes office, and. second. the in
creased number of subscribers means
an almost equivalent number. OF vol
unteer workers on election day..
Republicans Pay Workers.
The republicans have mistakenly
educated organizers in some OF the
populous states to pay their workers
and it is difficult to switch from Q
maid to a volunteer basis In a few
places where the democratic state or
panjzations have acquired q powerful
influence the same system Of paying
workers obtains. but generally speak
ing neither political party could af.
ford to buy the services of many
workers on election day without sub
iecting themselves to embarrassment
So there are republicans who wish
their party had adopted the policy
Of asking for small subscriptions and
at the same time had placed no 1imi'
of $1,000. For the democrats get
both the small and the large sub
scriptions. In some quarters here il
is predicted that by the time October
arrives. the republicans Will have te
confess that the $1,000 limit isn't get
ting results and that a general appea'
for funds Of any size. large or small
with the right to reject contributions