Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-06-18
BIZ FREDERICK
]. HASkIN

is IN the primary
The rejoinderi of those. who favor a
return to the convention plan is that
conventions never dare go against a
popular sentiment or demand that has
been clearly indicated. and that Pin
chot would in all probability have been
chosen because it was evident that the
republicans of the state wanted him.
In any event a precedent would not
have been established that makes the
g~overnorship solely a rich mans prize,
for a convention can give the nOmina-
ton to a pOOr man without the eX-
penditure of a dollar on his part. AS
to the case of Pepper. they merely
point out that in spite of his high
place in the public esteem. and in spite
of the fact that the party organization
supported him. it cost the senator
100000 to secure a nomination that
otherwise might have been his without
a contest.
Where the Money Goes
As has been stated, no one is sug-
costing that money was used c%orruptly
in behalf either Of Pinchot or Pepper.
Every dollar of the immense sums in
dicateG undoubtedly was put to Iegiti-
mate uses, and it is probable that five
times the amounts could have been
cADCuuCu W1liiouL Iut SllXHtSSL lnlTH(s
ton of the laws.
There is. as a matter of fact, no
limit TO the amount of money that can
be spent in perfectly proper ways in
a primary in a great state such as
Pennsylvania. Newspaper advertising,
for instanre. might be carried to an
extreme such that a candidate would
use a page display daily in every paper
in the commonwealth. The direct prim-
airy means a personal appeal to every
voter and when there are more than
2,OOO,NW men and affiliated
with the party it is obvious what it
must cost to place just one piece of
literature in the hands of each voter.
Pinchot, it is said. spent approximately
$4,000 for a single postcard canvass
of the state.
Then there are the expenses for
maintaining headquarters, for travel
ing, for hiring workers who cannot
give their time without compensation.
for Autographs and other printing. for
watchers at the polls, for campaign
badges. buttons and the like. In all.
there are a thousand and one ways to
spend money, and scarcely one in which
the campaign manager can economic
without fearing that he is jeopardizing
the success of his candidate.
What are candidates for office to
do about it? In the last presidential
campaign the public was greatly shock
ed to learn that considerably more
than S1.000,0D had beer expended in
behalf of one aspirant for the repub-
lican nomination. Unquestionably that
had much to do with his defeat. Yet
it was not charged that that fund was
raised or discussed unlawfullv. He was
the kind of candidate for whom it would
have been possible to collect a great
fund by popular subscription. even
though in that case much of the money
was contributed by one rich man.
Nothing ike a comprehensive nation
wide canvass can be made for the
presidency with the expenditure of a
mere million dollars. iinchot was
widely known and favorably known in
every corner of Pennsylvania and yet
it cost him 100000 to make "A sue
cessful fight for the g~ubernatorial nom
nation. At that rate. what would it
cost to put over Il candidate for the
presidential prize in a campaign that
had to be carried into 4S states?
Write your own ticket.
Obviously it will not solve the prob
lem to limit the amount Il candidate or
members of his immediate family may
spend. If n committee can be organ
lied that can raise and lay out any
obtainable sum in his behalf it is just
as bad as it an individual paid the
entire bill.
And here is something for both adj
vocates and opponents of the direct
primary to think about-if a limit i In
be put upon the amount of money that
a man may contribute to advance the
political fortunes of a candidate. should
thprn NOT he a limit unpp the ampllnf
of time. energy and ability he could
give to such a campaign without com
penSation.
As a matter of fact. one mans time
and advocacy might be worth more
to a candidate than all the money an !
other man might donate. and that time
and advocacy might he used as legiti-
mately as ever money was used in the
DAYS of 'Rlocks-of-five" Dudley.