The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-06-19
Frederick Haskin's Letter
fspecaa, corezpoadanee OF AFszaJ
HIGH COST OF PRIMARIES
especial Correspondents Of Z

all probability have been chosen
because it was evident that the Re
publicans of the state wanted him.
In any event a precedent would not
have been established that makes
the governorship solely a rich
mans prize, for a convention ian
give the nomination to a poor man
without the expenditure of a dol
lar 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
$50 900 to secure nomination that
otherwise might have been his with
out a contest.
Where the Money Goes.
AS has been stated, no one is sug.
costing that money was used cor
cuptly in behalf of either of Pin
chot or Pepper. Every dollar of
the immense sums indicated IN
doubtedly was put - legitimate
uses, and it is probable that i've
times the amounts could have been
expended without the slightest in
fraction 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 instance, might be
carried to an extreme such that a
candidate would use a page display
daily in every paper inc the COM
monwealth. The direct primary
means personal appeal to every
voter and when there are more
than two million men and women
affiliated with the party it is obYi-
Gus 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
travelling, for hiring workers VINO
cannot give their time without com
pensation, for Autographs and
other printing. for watchers at the
polls, for campaign badges, but
tons, and the like. IN all. there ara
a thousands and one ways to spend
money, and scarcely one in which
the campaign manager can ecoDo-
mize without fearing that he is
jeopardizing the success of his
candidate.
What are candidates for office to
do about it? In the last presiden-
tial campaign the public was
greatly shocked to learn that con-
siderably more than a million dol
I1- 81 IN h..
of one aspirant for the Republican
nomination. Unquestionably that
had much to do with his defeat Yet
it was charged that that fund was
raised or disbursed unlaWfully. He
was the kind of candidate for whom
it would have been possible to col
Iect a great fund by popular sub
scription, even though in that case
much of the money was contributed
by one rich man.
Nothing like comprehensive ma
tion-wide canvass be made for the
presidency with the expenditure Of
mere million dollars. PinchOt
was widely known and favorahly
known in every corner of Pennsyl-
vania, and yet it cost him 1920, geo
to make a successful fight for the
gubernatorial nomination. At that
rate. what would it cost to put over
a candidate for the presidential
prize in campaign that had to be
carried into As states? Write your
own ticket
Obviously it will not solve the
problem to limit the amount a can
didate or member of his immediate
family may spend. If a commit
tee can be organized that can raise
and lay out any. obtainable sum III
his behalf it is just as bad as if an
individual paid the entire bill.
And, here is something for both
advocates and opponents of the d
rect primary to think about if d
limit is to be put upon the amount
OF money that d man can contrib
ute to ADVANCE the political tr-
tunes of a candidate, should there
not be a limit upon the amount If
time, energy and ability he coulj
give to such d campaign without
compensation?
AS matter of fact, one man s.
time and advocacy might be worth
more to a candidate than all The
money another man might donara.
and that time and advocacy might
be used as iIlegitimateiy as ever
money was used in the days If
"BlOckS-Of-f1Ve" Dudley.