The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-06-04
{ National Political Correspondent o
The IntcllisrnCcr)
BY MARK SULLIVAN

Washington, June 2.--When the Re-
publican Nationa! COMMITTEE meets here
rrNt Wednesday probably tho least wei
come Of several items Of business which
they must consider viii be their deficit
Soon after the election Il became known
;hat the committees deficit WAS about
$.,J0G,00U. Since tha; time the public
has heard nothing Of the subject. and
probably the general assumption Is that
ne deficit has been met That how
ever, Is far from h".ug the CAS-.
Only about 100000 has hc"n paid off
and tn" committee has 4 deficit today
Of 81 zoo. moo. which j. an uncomfortable
sum considering ihai II - now more
than six months since the election took
place and from eight 10 ten months
since the debts w"r" contracted. The
committee is paying interest on this
sum At the rate Of per cent. This
makes $4,000 year Of 5000 Il month
being added To tho deficit.
Tho committr has machinery IN mo-
ton for collecting tn" money to meet
mis- drf!cIt. hut results d" not show
mat they are getting in more than about
$50. nn0 Il month With the rate Of pro-
gross or collection 50 slow. and the rat"
# interest so high. III" situation Is
rather uncomfortable" for the committee.
Some OF tho elder members Of the
committee believe that tho deficit can
never l." met 80 long as they stick I"
The limit originally set by Chairman
VIII Hays rr not taking moro than
81 .nNn from any one contributor. In
nSmuch as VIII Hays will cease |" h'
chairman nj the meeting next week. =
IS qui.r within the possibilities that
tho committee. with VII Hays out, may
consider changing mo rul" and collect
the money in amy sums they can get. the
larger the better.
A Step IN Advance
II will b. y pity Il they do this. tho
setting Of this limit WAS distinct ad-
van"" in the MANAGEMENT Of political
campaigns, and made Il impossible for
any rich man. or group or rich mon TO
rr' what ,Tov. Cox during the cam
paign called u strange hold on the
Government" There IS a group in the
National Commute" who sympathize
with Will IlayS'S theory OF setting Il
limit. but they 'lnk h" nv"rdid II
Th"y think that limit Of $1,000 or
s. 900 or oyer g. r.." would protect tho
committee anil ~ ""Nf' practically
ns well as n l.r.i' 49, - ""r. While ut
Inc same tllne iiiir o ...lt' "'H'''
make the collcCtr" 49, :. '.". custer
It will be incuir!,.:i' ." -. llarI
md on his friends TO s:i'.. - r''"" rnl"
md maintain II II thcy r'--ih'' crn
They arc under 4 certain 49,. ma
moral obligation TO do this. Whl'" li'.
campaign was on they got the ~" VI
OF having made this rule. To ahHni"n
II now and take tho lid OF" In order :"
collect money to pay or loans CONTRACT
ed while the campaign was on would
rob them Of much Of the credit which
they Justly got for making the rule or
iginally.
The Democrats could indulge In a
good deal OF cynC!sm about claiming
virtue for keeping tho limit at sl.unn
while at the same time. borrowings of
hundreds Of thousands Of dollars were
made from the hanks. and these hor-
rNwinCe subsequently paid on under Il
changed regime OF no limit. This whole
subject OF debts Is tho cause of good
deal of embarrassment 20 m" commit
tee. The matter of campaign rXH"nd'-
lures and the broader subject 81 the
maintenance az the direct primary ar"
brought forward by two recent events.
One vas tho declaring unconstitntinn
nj b. tho Supreme Court In the New
berry cast OF the statute limiting the
amount Of money that can he spent In
Senatorial campaign. This decision
gives a setback TO the validity OF the
direct primary practice everywhere
4 good many persons. including Dem
ocrats symIathized with the eDoner-