Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1920-06-09
MONEY IN CAMPAIGNS

The Rutland Herald admits that
HNo newspaper or candidate would
have the slightest objection to putting
a reasonable limitation on campaign
expenses" but objects to mentioning
past campaigns in which money has
been spent freely in Vermont. From
this attitude it is reasonable to sup
pose that the Herald condones such
campaigns as those conducted by Nc
Collough, Clement and others and
calls their expenditures reasonable
One would reasonably expect the Her
aid to find no fault with an expendi-
ture, say of 81, 900 in gubernatorial
campaign, since Clement spent that
amount two years ago. And there is
no reason to expect the Herald would
limit the expenditure to $1,000. But
where, pray, would a poor man stand
IN campaign where S11 900 is con-
sidered reasonable" for an expendf-
ture?
No wonder the Herald throws a fit
at the issue of money in campaigns,
which Emery is forcing upon his mon
eyed opponents with such success. The
common people are tired of having
men like Clement, Mccullough ana
other aristocrats made their governor
ey sheer preponderance of money ex-
penditure in their campaigns. No
doubt large sums of money, $11 600
or even more, can legitimately be
spent IN gubernatorial campaign in
Vermont, but the question is not al
together one of legitimacy of expen-
dftures. The fundamental question is
whether a man of wealth, because of
his wealth and his willingness to ex-
pend it in campaign, should be al
lowed to make his wealth a determin-
ing factor in state politics.
The Herald does not pretend to see
the point. 1t will ridicule this paper
and Mr.. Emery, it will assume that
lordly attitude becoming the organ OF
an autocratic governor like Clement
and continue to befog the issue, and
If necessary absolutely ignore the
question.
Since the Herald admits ''no news
paper" would object to reasonable
limit on campaign expenditures, will
the Rutland contemporary tell US fiat
~ and frankly what limit it would
suggest?
Since the Herald sees an attempt
on the part of this paper to 'simpugn
the purity of every primary in which
political advertising was used" will
the Rutland paper tell the public
whether or not it sanctions the cam
paigns of Mccullough, Clement, Mead.
Page, Fletcher and Prouty, or not :?
The Herald can answer Eyes" or "no"
unless it desires to camouf1age the
issue.
Mr. Emery's determination to con-
duct modest campaign such as the
average Vermonter might conduct as
TO money expenditures, his promise to
use his influence for statuary res
srlctions on the expenditure of cam
palgn money, his every day know
ledge of every day men, his acuuaint-
ance with Vermont and Vermont needs
and his eminent fitness for the office
are making his moneyed opponents
worried.
Mr.. Emery has publicly stated tina.
ne has no objections to his opponents
expenditure of their thousands in the
campaign against him, but he does
believe as principle and as future
state policy that the rampant expen.
dlture of wealthy men to get the Office
OF governor in this little common
wealth ought to cease, and with tbs
courage of his convictions he is coins
to the people with the issue.