Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-01-10
CAMPAIGN COSTS
MUST Be LARGE
CANDIDATES, HOWEVER. WILL
BE CAREFUL TO AVOID THREAT
OF AN INVESTIGATION.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK

winter to demand an inquiry into the
campaign expenditures of this man
or that man, Republican or Democrat,
who has an ambition to become the
nominee of his party for the presi-
dency.
SO ar as one can determine from
reading the reports of what the vari-
Gus candidates intend to do, it seems
there can be little difference in the
ultimate costs of the work of for
warding their ambitions. Candidate
Johnson's plans for campaigning are
elaborate5 and SO perhaps are those
of candidate Coolidge. The camps
of Mr.. McAdoo and Mr. Underwood,
and any other candidate for that mat
ter, also will call for the expenditure
Of money. Senator Johnson in the
primary campaign Of 1920 probably
profted by the attacks which were
made in the senate of the United
States upon the alleged extravagant
expenditures in behalf of the cam
paign of. Leonard Wood.
Will some one rise in the senate
within the next month or two to as
who is supplying the money to pay
the campaign expenses Of this man
or that man, or of several men? If
some one shall so rise it simply will
be a repetition of an action taken
four years ago by men who, some
folks charged, were moved to their
efforts, not so much by a desire to
check extravagant expenditures as by
desire to defeat the nomination of
Leonard Wood and to help the nomi-
nation of somebody else.
Profiting by Lesson of 1920.
There are several men of known
wealth who have announced them
selves as friendly to the campaign of
each one of the more prominent of
the Republican candidates. 1t is
said by friends of the White House..
however, that President Coolidge can
be depended upon to hold expendi-
lures well within the limits Of rea-
son and in field we'll this side of
that where criticism dwells. If Sen
ator Johnson's memory is keen ne
also may feel compelled shortly to
urge that money be kept in the pocket
instead of being cast into the con-
tribution box
1t was out of the ranks of the So
called progressive element in the
senate four years ago that came the
Demand for an inquiry into the ex-
penditures of candidates for the
presidential nomination. 1t had been
expected at the outset that men pro-
gressively inclined, as Senator Borah,
for instance, was supposed TO be,
would have been friendly to the Wood
candidacy and therefore would re-
frain from attempts to undo the gem
eral. 1t turned out, however, that
they seemingly were kindly inclined
to one of General Woods rivals. At
any rate there came the ''stir-up"
which men today say was chief
cause of the defeat of the general at
the Chicago convention.
It costs a lot of money to run a
campaign for nomination and a
million dollars or so could be spent
absolutely legitimately, at least so
runs the opinion of party leaders. The
general impression, however, which
the public gets from knowledge of
large expenditures is that people are
being bribed, or bluntly, that votes
are being bought. In this day 1t is
hardly worth while to try to bride
anybody even If bribery might seem
40 - - r1I~-
Plenty of angels" Ready.
It is probable that every effort will
be made by the ambitious ones to
prevent any outbreak in congress at
the coming session. One candidate,
1t is almost certain, profted in Michi-
gan and in some other states four
years ago by the congressional mani
festations against extravaganza. It
hardly can be supposed that the
candidates this year will not take
ever precaution 10 see to it that
what happened to Wood shall not
happen to them.
There are angels" enough ready
today to finance the campaign of each
of the Republican and Democratic
aspirants for the nominations. 1t
would be dangerous to the ambitions
of candidate to take advantage of
the willingness of certain of the
angels. An angel who has certain
kind of business connection is al
ways to be Stunned. There are others
who have acquired wealth in certain
ways whose offerings are not likely
to imperil the fortunes of the receiver
In chief,
Happy New Year, a Prophecy?
Treasury officials and others seem
to believe that if legislation this win
ter is directed Alright the Happy New
Year" salutation of 1924 will be as
much Of prophecy as a greeting, q
prophecy which in their belief is sure
to be fulfilled.
1t is true that high prices prevail
in the land and that there is COM
plant, and in some places strong and
growing political disaffection, be-
canse of the fact. 1t ought to be said,
however, that low prices, especially on
some of the farm products, are held
here to be as much cause for COM
plant as are the high prices which
man must pay for certain Of the neces-
stiles and the near luxuries of life.
cTPIMNININ DEAN a.,