The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1922-06-20
SAYS PRIMARY MENACE
70 CLEAN GOVERNMENT
nc Toes CONTEND THAT SYS-
TENN INITIATES AGAINST
THE POOR MAN.
POINT TO ELECTION COST
,,.sr,;nqton Reformers Show -
Pennsylvania Men Were Forced to
coend Huge Sums to Land Their
PARTY Endorsement.

Party Endorsement.
yvAcHINGTON, D. C.-The pri-
nary system of choosing seems DOOM
Il nr1ess some means is found OF con-
t,orIing expenditures, even OF a legiti-
,,o+a lind friends of the primary cleo
,;o, olan are beginning to realize. OPP
aooants of the system are holding up
.ho pinchot and Pepper expenditures
- Pennsylvania as arguments IN their
.a,1oaipn for a return to the old con-
l" nlan of nominating candidates.
The Washington opponents OF the
,.;,,,arv method do not intimate in
5ny way that illegitimate use was made
o. tbe money by the gubernatorial and
saratorial candidates of Pennsylvania
N their campaigns waged prior to the
holding Of the primaries. They SIMPLY
rgll attention to the huge expenditures
to show that the poor man has no
cbance for office under a system which
WAS supposed to bring the poor but in
drnendent citizen into the political
field.
Spent Three Times Total Salary.
Waging an aggressive campaign for
the republican nomination tor candl-
date for governor of Pennsylvania,
clifford Pinchot, with the aid OF Mrs.
Pinchot, spent the sum of $4,000 to
rarrv his candidacy to the voters of
tbe keystone state. The Office of gov
ernor paws $4,000 year for the term
Of four wears. The candidate and his
wife therefore contributed three times
the total salary to win out at the pri-
mares.
The campaign for denomination con-
Quoted by Senator George Wharton
Pepper cost in the neighborhood of
100000 in spite of the fact that Mr..
Pepper had only to beat an independ-
ent candidate and was not confronted
with the active opposition of the ma
chine" The job as senator pays $45,-
00l for a siX-year term.
Even the Washington opponents OF
the primary SYSTEM frankly admit that
these large expenditures are in every
way legitimate and perhaps necessary.
A single post card canvass OF the g.
100000 voters in Pennsylvania took APP
proximately $4,000 OF Mr. Pinchot's
campaign money. The development OF
the woman as a ballot marker has viz
tuallv doubled the cost of reaching the
qualified voters with educational litera-
ture.
When the news of Pinchot's achieve
ment spread through the country the
victory was hailed as great one tor
the plain people and a hard crack at
the old republican machine. The vic
tory OF Mr.. Pepper was praised as that
Of high minded, high princiipled man
seeking to succeed himself after an all
too brief term in the old Penrose char.
Financial Means a Necessity.
However, the question arises if Gift
ford Pinchot could have led the people
to victory if he and his wife had not
had unlimited means to put into the
primary campaign. And also if George
Wharton Pepper could have landed the
senatorial nomination without the f.
nancial aid and weighty influence OF
many wealthy friends.
Those opposed to the country's pr1-
mary system say emphatically that the
poor man, without influence and OPP
timistic friends of means, has little or
no chance of obtaining political pre-
terment under the present political
procedure.
Congress Has No Control.
II he is successful in gaining the
nomination, candidate has party or
ganzation behind him to boost and
provide the wherewitha1 to carry him
through the final battle of the political
conflict, But when he aspireS indie
pendcntly to nomination within his
party, the candidate must have well
hlIed purse to get his case properly
before the people
The primary system as it now
stands makes it necessary for a presi
dent OF the United States to seek dele
gates Tor a denomination. The question
arises as to how far a president is eX-
pected to go in providing personal
funds for a denomination, or as to how
tar he can permit his friends and back
erS to aid him. The supreme court has
he!d that congress has no control over
primary expenditures.