Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-06-25
CORRUPTION BLAME.
PUT ON BUSINESS.
Senator Capper Declares
Primary System Best
Guard of Electorate.
By Consolidated Press.

Some idea of what the rest of the
country. or at least the Republican
Senators Of the West, are going to
have to say this Summer and Autumn
about the revelations in the Pennsyl-
Vania primary contest is disclosed to-
day by Senator Capper of karsas.
Mr.. Capper in an exclusive inter
view declares that the remedy is not
a return to the convention system,
which he contends would only have
the effect of making it cheaper to buy
nominations and elections.
The orgy of ballot box stuffing and
vote buying said the Kansas Senator
10 this correspondent, land the almost
unbelievable rottenneSS uncovered IN
pennsylvania'S million dollar state
and senatorial primary astounds even
Washington, accustomed to political
exposes. 1t is condemned unsparlngly
regardless Of party viewpoint. The
purchase of a senatorship for $4,000
in the Newber1'y election was a kin
dergaIten affair by comparison. In
fragrant, braZen, colossal impudence,
the open buying of upward of 10000
at So and $40 apiece as watchers at
the polls surpa sSeS the shocking vote
buying scandals exposed in ono
counties years ago.
No Parallel in History.
These revelations of wholesale cor
ruption. BADLY admitted as if matters
of course by calloused campaign man
ayers, have no parallel in American
history. They are the result of prac-
teal politics from the Pennsylvania
viewpoint; the sluSh funds regularly
contributed by Pennsylvania s favored
interests and administered by her poll
teal machines in buying elections or
offices. Pennsylvania has no corrupt
practices act limiting campaign ex-
penses, professional politicians in
variably defeating such measures
when offered.
q AS in Michigan's Newberry scan
DIAL, the debauchery of Pennsylvania
politics with money is laid by the de-
bauChers and their defenders on the
primary system. 1t is the silly sys-
tenn forced on us 20 years ago that
makes the outpouring of money
necessary said Senator Reed of Penn
sylvania. Secretary Mellon also says
the expenditures were made 'neces-
Sary' by the primary and were not
excessive under the circumstances
IF a return to the caucue and CON
vention, easily controlled by a. boss
and his local subbosses. is effected.
the costs of Corruptfng elections will
be reduced, though not the corrup-
ton, which will be made easier. The
boss will be on the salary roll of the
corrupting agencies, and While he will
exact large sums. yet it is not like
corruption that 'necessitates' hiring
$4,000 watchers in a single populous
county.
who buys the elections? Not the
politician. He is merely the tool.
In Pennsylvania primary, the
Manufacturers Association contrib
uted over 100000 according to its
presidents testimony.
Probably the moral individual man
ufacturers did no hiring or purchas-
ing. They only supplied the money.
The less they were told of how the
money was actually spent the more
they would be suited. 1t was the pol
itician' who spent the money and the
respectable interests that expect to be,
and are served, that put it up. Who
then corrupts elections?
Primaries Held Safest
sin fact, it is not as easy to corrupt
elections under the primary. 1t takes
more money. After all, it is not easy
to buy outright a popular vote.
THE real question is why special in