Evening star., 1922-06-13
Capital Made Political Center
By Holding of Congress on JOB

The flrst example of a campaign Of
1896. when the republican party
which espoused the gold standard,
found 1t necessary to undertake
propaganda upon an enormous scaie
to offset in few weeks the enects
of the doctrine of free coinage OF Sill.
yer at a ratio of 16 to 1, which had
been insidiously instilled into the
minds of the people by preaching and
writing for years prior.
AS the people now contemplate the
soundest financial system In the
world. with every dollar worth dol
lar, will it be said that the money
expended in that campaign of educa-
tion was misused. since 1t brought the
electorate to an understanding OF the
right fiscal policy for this government
and nation?
It Is quite evident, however, that
the people are very suspicious and
watchful of contemplated campaign
expenses at the present time and
looking forward to the fall campaign
for Senate, House and state offices. 1t
Is also in evidence that q great deal
Of money will have to be used, In
legitimate ways. and the public will
ing between the use and misuse OF
campaign contributions.
On this point is recalled an observa-
ton made the other day by a candi-
date for a Senate seat, before a gath
ering of eminently practical" poll
tee of Pennsylvania. He was Maj.
Reed, candidate for the seat made
vacant by the death of Senator Knox.
He pointed out that money had TO
come from three sources: First. 1t
might be contributed by wealthy can
didates for office. which was contrary
to all ethics and ideals. Second, 1t
might be contributed by interests"
or by wealthy men who expected to
receive favors at the hands of office
holders or Legislative bodies after
election-which was unthinkable.
Finally. it might be contributed by
the mass of the people. He had the
courage to declare that there was no
reason why an officeholder should not
contribute to the success of his party.
ed contribution, or assessment, he
held to be unspeakable.
There is considerable comment upon
the assembling in this city few days
ago of a group of wealthy republi-
cans from various sections of the
country to devise ways and means
for financing the republican national
committee for the approaching cam
paign. Because they were men Of
| large wealth. the attempt was made
in some quarters to attach the in
ference that there was something
wrong in contemplation. The re-
publican leaders who called the meet
ing made no effort to surround It
| with secrecy, but gave all the details,
the objective and the personnel Ref
erence to financial guides and di-
rectories of directorates, of course,
could easily identify the men with
large interests.
But the argument was made, II
money is needed for a specified legiti
mate purpose, why go elsewhere than
TO sources where money is found
That Is a thought that the public will
have to consider and take into ac-
count and then watch for the appli-
| cation of the funds raised.
4 4
Clear thinking, good Judgment and
the use of reason would seem to the
close observer Of political affairs to
be as necessary in this campaign as
ever before. Old politicians declare
that the people were never more
aroused than now and never was
there more independence of thought,
with promised independence of politi-
cal action in November