The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-08-30

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MI still too early to determine
which VIII play the more i'm
portant part in the 1924 ampaign-
a sap bucket or a tar pail. But if the
present contest for the White House
follows the trail Of many of its pre-
decessors, either may become a big
vote-swaying issue.
No sooner had Coolidge presented
Ford with a sap bucket than writ
ers and cartoonists. both those OPP
posed to the President and those sup
porting his candidacy, made use of
the incident in articles and illus
trations. Candidate Davis challenge
to Coolidge on the Khan. in which
Davis followed in La Follette's foot
steps. may readily lead to the evo-
luton of the sap bucket into a pail
OF hot tar-at least on the part Of
enemy" cartoonists.
Ever since the party system be
came well established in American
politics a century ago minor Incl
dents have grown into great issues
in almost all campaigns.
Billiard Table Issue
One of the earliest examples was
that which occurred during John
Quincy Adams attempt to stay in
the White House in 1928. It de
veloped during that campaign, when
jackson and Adams We're giving
the country a real treat in the way
of fiery recriminations. that among
the White House furnishings there
was a billiard table.
A shocked country heard of this
with amazement. Adams was charged
with Incorporating public funds,
with wasting Government money on
amusemen1s and with setting a bad
example for the youth of the Nation.
That the charge was seriously
hurting the Adams campaign was
admitted by the Presidents manag-
ers, who attempted to explain that
the table had been placed in the
White House without Adams knowl
edge. and that he had not played on
it. Furthermore. the table disap-
peared from the White House.
Patch Important
Another little matter which grew
into an issue of national Importance
was the 50-cent trouser patch which
Governor William L. Marcy of New
York included in his expense ac-
count.
Marcy's regime as Governor, from
1882 to 1888. had been marked, so
his opponents claimed, by great ex-
travagance in the use of public
money. On a trip away from Albany
Marcy tore his trousers in getting
off a train. He paid so cents for
repairs, and on his return to the
capital entered this item on his
voucher.
His opponents took the position |
that the State was not obliged to
buy the Governors clothes, nor to |
keep them in repair. and cited this |
as typical example Of the Gov
ernor's misuse of State funds. |
cartoons were used only in |
Il llIlHl6u Q6SI GS dI lAI0l col ~ hcihCf !
effective use was made of the patch |
on Marcy's trousers throughout the |
campaign, in which Marcy lost out. |
The Inflated Governor later returned |
to favor, and served as secretary Of |
State from 1853 to 1857 under Frank |
lin Pierce.
Log Cabin Familiar
The "log cabin" issue is perhaps |
more generally remembered. 1t first |
entered into national politics in the |
campaign of 1910, when opponents |
of Harrison, hoping to point out his |
shortcomings, scornfully called at
tention to the fact that the general |
lived in a log cabin and spent his |
time drinking cider.
Harrison's friends took up the cry, |
distributed handbills with pictures of |
the cabin and its cider key, and by |
keeping the matter before the pub |
lie, used the original charge in such |
a way as to make it the most pro-
nounced boomerang" in the history
of national campaigns.