The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-01-30
The Senate Protective Association
Chicago Tribune)

The Pepper-Fisher combination in Pennsyl-
vania politics spent $1,804,979 in the notable
primaries and lost Pepper was the sitting
senator, but with all the money, the federal
patronage. the dry agents, with privileges and
immunities extended or withheld, Pepper was
licked by the Vare-Bedleman combination.
which spent $785,934. Ware beat sitting
senator and also the political high-hat Pinchot,
the governor, who, having the state organiza-
ton, also spent $187,029.
In Illinois, Smith, having tainted himself by|
taking money from the utilities he controlled,
spent $4,000 and defeated sitting senator.
who, in addition to being a man of great
wealth, also had the federal organization.
In the clear cut Smith case, in which the
source OF money was the evil, the senators at
lacking him could not keep away from the
doctrine that, no matter what the source, the
use of it was an evil. Are they so naive as to
think that the country does not perceive the
drift of this? The fact that the contribu-
tons, as made and received, constituted an
abuse of public trust is not sufficient for their
purpose. 1t is completely damning but it is
not enough for purposes of senatorial protec-
ton. What is required in Washington is the
doctrine that it is contrary to public policy and
morals to use money in campaigning against a
senator, no matter if the money is contributed
with the highest purposes and expended
legally, honestly, and with no thought Of COR
ruption.
This punctures most of moralities exhibited
It reduces the question to one of personal in
terest The senators do not want competition
They want to reduce the power of other can
didacies. They strengthen the power of the
federal organization which in their states they
control. It is supported by public money. It
plays politics with public money, and it OBJ
jects to an outsider matching dollar for dollar
with it and, still more, to being out-matched.
The moral issue disappears when this ele-
ment of bad faith enters the elaboration. The
senator's do not even try to be on the square.
They know the legitimate expenses connected
with successful campaigning in . populoug
state Of large area, particularly when the can
didate hasn't nickel of patronage behind him
and is opposing mighty political organization.
). They also ignore that within their own con-
ception Of political morality it is possible for
such associations as the Anti-Saloon league, or
ganized labor, the Klux, etc., to make great
expenditures. The Anti-Saloon league is now
asking for something like $5,000,000 for po-
litical action, and it has spent millions. The
sitting senator may not object to that. His
vote in the senate may win the use Of this
money and influence in his state He tries TOR
it. He makes alliances which are not good frr
the country, and then aims to stop independent
candidacy against him by making It politically
! immoral to have q sufficient campaign fund,
regardless Of its source or the method Of its
distribution.
4 It i apparent that true principles are con-
cerned with the intent and the practices. It
Is whether the money has corrupt purpose or
= corrupt use; not whether it has been able to
! defeat sitting senator. =.