Evening star., 1926-06-04
PRIMARY SYSTEM
| AGAIN UNDER FIRE
~
GO. P. win Blame It for
i High Election Costs in
| Coming Senate Probe.

The forthcoming investigation by
select committee OF the United States
Senate into reports that millions of
dollars have been spent this year In
certain senatorial primaries will take
twoAieparate and distinct leads"
F&st will be an effort to disclose
A recrudescence Of "Newberryism' In
the. lavish use of money, and second
ly. there will be an attempt to show
that the primary system. even in the
best Of circumstances. calls for per.
fect3y legitimate expenditures which
are, staggering to a poor man. and.
therefore, the primary plan should be
abolished.
There unquestionably is a growing
sentiment in Washington against the
whole primary scheme Of things. The
agitation has extended to a number of
States where repeals Of the primary
laws are Hending. II the Senate in
vestigatiaA therefore, can be turned
into channels which will show that
the primary gives the man of money.
or the man backed by power Of the
financial interests, an overwhelming
advantage in legitimate appeals for
votes, the opponents of the primary
feel they will have made telling head.
way in their fight.
Men Now Seek Office.
II is claimed that the primary sys-
tenn has been responsible for keeping
good men ont Of the Senate and the
House and that this accounts for what
some believe TO be distinct lowering
OF the caliber of Congress in the past
few years. Elihu Root is . savorite
example OF those who MAXI these
claims. They say MIR. Ro6t would
never consent to run in a primary, go
out and make speeches and advertise
for votes In order to get nomlna ton.
In the case Of Mr.. Root, and men of
his ilk, II In said the Office had to seek
the man. Under the primary system
the man seeks the office and seeks it
with all his might and main and
money, too.
In the case of minor Offices the
plum often has gone to the man with
the loudest voice. The primary and
it's direct appeal to the people has
opened the way to public office Of the
Snowman type Of politician.
In the case Of a Statewide fight
such as that which recently occurred
IN Pennsylvania, where millions Of
voters had to be reached. the primary
called for immense expenditures in be-
half OF the three senatorial candidates
Gov. Pinchot probably had less money
than his two opponents, and therefore
he had fewer votes. A primary fight
OF the character OF the one waged in
Pennsylvania calls for extensive or.
CARNATIONS. for workers at the polls.
for huge sums in newspaper and bill.
board advertising. for the employment
OF speakers and subspeakers and can.
vassers-all legitimate expenses and
startling, no doubt, in their totals
These expenditures mean that the
NnF1NVS a r.o xynIS
primary race in a big State must ac-
cept the backing Of wealthy men or
make an extended appeal for funds
from smaller sources. e..
La Toilette on Committee.
The Senate investigating committee
consists Of two Republicans, two
Democrats, and Senator La Toilette
Of Wisconsin. who is written down as
Q Progressive Republican"
The Republicans of the committee,
feeling that their party is under fire
in the investigation, will endeavor to
> show that all expenses in the Pennsyl-
vania. Illinois and other prima ries
were legitimate and unavoida bic under
the existing primary system. which
invites. IL 1t does not make indis-
pensable. this large use Of money.
The Democrats naturally will at
tSInpt 10 snow LnaC the use OF these
huge sums Of money was simply the
Republican way of doing things. They
will say Republican victories at the
polls have been made possible by the
lavish use If money. commodity
with which the Democrats have had
little or no acquaintance during the
past eight or ten years.
Just what Senator La Toilette will
attempt to show is problematical, to
say the least. The Wisconsin Sen
ator believes in the rule Of the "peo.
PIE" and therefore is q defender of
the direct primary system. 1t is
dimcult to see how he can subscribe
10 either one of the two ma jor lines
OF inquiry which have been mapped
out, although he has not hesitated
to go along with the Democrats in
aSsailing the motives of some of the
regular" Republicans. and therefore
may take the Democratic view. which
will direct the investigation to show
ing an entirely unwarra nted expendi.
ture of money in the Republican
primaries.
Senator Borah conducted an inquiry
two years ago into campaign expendi-
lures. but II did little more than show
that the Republicans had lot more
money than the Democrats. which was
no news to the Democrats. Perhaps
the new inquiry will but unfold the
frnrvpirht 1904