The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-06-01
nnInnas TINT MISS IInE.

UIIbRNN THAI NI~N ''''"
onS pocuuaryS about many roform' 'hn' ar'
undeAake issha, they often fail to f'''n W,
evil istendeyto be cured, but create new ,r'
OF ev,tp ,ofake tho place of those temporarily
smoths ~ rlsa very easy thing to prescribe
couA< Of legislation to meet most any de-
psnd of the people for better government but
a. "a no, At au easy 10 guarantee that tho rom
edv NAV not prove worse than tho disease The
very thines tho public may camor for at one
s,are of the game may be the very things lhey
src anxious to get rid OF AZ later date. Leg
,slativo reform is frequently boomerang ana
docs more harm to those who expect to henefit
thereby than II does 10 those who according to
nil logic and expectation. should be the ones to
suffer.
A few ouadrenniums ago IL was the poruial
thing to denounce the use OF money IN elections
Il being the inference that money 40 spent must
corrupt the electorate and, In effect smother 'ne
popular viii under the gag of purchased votes
The DAYS when voters were purchased by the
"biock" have largely passed into history, but the
odiun attached TO big campaign bills stli fingers
in tho public mind. To remedy this evil law
was passed limiting the amount that should he
spent by n candidate II being figured that each
mans legitimate needs could he calculated ana
that any more than that was infcrcn,iaUy cor
rupt.
That law good as was It's intentions has failed
TO function as expected Good men find them
selves prescribed and hampcrod In what the
public Is learning ia legitimate campaign cN-
penses The hish coat OF living is hand In glove
with the high cost of running for office In fact
a good man cannot receive the publicity that ls
necessary for a genuine campaign without fall
ing under the odum Of corruption, He may not
buy single vote. even improperly influence
the casting OF ono vote nor unduly warp the
convictions Of a single clector yet at the same
time be liable to public odium, II not actual
prosecution. because his abatement Of expendi-
lures totals too big a figure, Even his friends
may NOT contribute to the expenses Of his cam
paign without the candidate feeling tho sting
of condemnation,
This is not saying that even yet, much money
ia not used to defeat the popular viii wisely or
unwisely. successfully or unsucccsstully, We
know whore men got power and influence In
political affairs that they do not earn on their
merits but by the size OF barrel" Yet this
does not do away with the fact that In no case
even when the office seeks the man, is It possible
for that man to get fair chance before tho
American public unless considerable money Is
spent in his behalf Tho American public Is
only reached conclusvely by advertisement
There is no corruption In candidate advertising
his claims to an office. In no other way ordi-
narily can tho public be properly informed rs to
the merits Of opposing candidates unless the
matter is brought before them In tho printed
word. All kinds Of propaganda are spread be
fore the reading public, and It takes money to
accomplish that Is 1t any less Just that propa-
ganda for a candidate for office should be
bought and paid for than propaganda for u cause
or q boncfcenccP
Senator Ncwberry tell a victim 10 the injustice
Of this law. Technically he violated the federal
law--thero is little doubt OF thatS but morally
It is yet TO be proven that he, or his helpers,
committed any WRONG upon the electorate of
Michigan Generally speaking, the consensus
of public opinion over tho nation ia that II was
a good thing for the country. as well as for the
state Of Michigan, that Newhcrry rather than
Ford. was chosen Tor the senate. even II in do
ing so more money was spent than the law
allows And the present probe into the presi.
dental campaign has done much 10 disgust
the people not so much with the men who have
spent big sums in trying for a nomination. as
with the vndctive spirit which animates the
Investigation.
It has developed that money has been spent
literally, but no phase OF the probe has yet fas-
tened a semblance Of corruption on any OF the
candidates. and the fact that practically all OF
them were thus spending without tmpropriety
has shown the pubic that law intended to curb
tho wArd&eeler OF old "a now only an instsiment