Evening star., 1929-12-04

against me II he knew the facts and
realized how unfair and unjust my ac-
cuSerS have been in attempting to twist
mere clerical irregularities and techni-
calities into acts of political fraud and
conspiracy. I believe I can truthfully
say that the same charges could be
brought against every one elected to
public office If the ballots and election
records were examined by his political
enemies and report made based on
their inferences and theories without
any consideration of the truth of facts
or legal proof.
Says Report Is Incomplete.
There is only one report before you
concerning my election, and that is
based on an incomplete survey of cleo
ton records made by paid investigators,
who for years had been employed by
my political enemies in Philadelphia.
The man who is responsible for that
report Of your special investigating
committee was paid $4,000 to do the
job. The report, for which he alone
is responsible, and which your commit
tee accepted in good faith, is not an
impartial statement of facts with which
this body usually deals, but 1t Is q
fabrication of the widest theories, in
ference and imagination, unaccom-
panied by any proof, and under no
circumstances can be substantiated. IE
fact, am informed by my attorneys,
who have studied a condensed report
of the tabulator of the subcommittee
of the committee on privileges and
elections. furnished to both Mr.. Wilson
and myself, that the charges are proven
to be absolutely false.
"One OF the charges was that 2,0lS
persons voted in Philadelphia who were
not registered. The facts are that all
but 80 of those 2,01S persons were duly
and legally registered. Why, they even
charge that in 40 per cent of the elec-
ton districts the election boards were
comprised of only enrolled Republicans,
and yet that Is entirely legal, as the law
does not require minority representation
on election boards. In fact, there are
many districts in Philadelphia where
the entire enrolment is Republican,
just as, suppose, there are districts in
other counties in Pennsylvania and in
other States where the electorate are
entirely of the Democratic faith. In
many districts in the South thousands
Of Democratic votes are cast and not
one Republican vote. Why? There are
no Republicans therel How could they
vote in those districts? These are just
some typical examples of the unfairness
Of these conclusions, which my political
enemies have tried to have you believe
were facts.
Holds Testimony Is False.
'Is my election or my right to a seat
In this Senate to be judged and decided
upon such q report? Are you, with
whom have been associated all these
fn ftrAn
me without giving me my day in
court?" prefer to believe not one of
you want to do an unfair thing-surely
party prejudice and self-interest will
not allow you to condemn any one on
false testimony.
II challenge any man on the floor
OF this Senate to point to a single bit of
evidence Of any fraud or conspiracy
practiced by myself or any of my
friends in my behalf in the three-cor-
nered primary when I won the Repub-
ncan nomination over former Senator
Pepper and the then governor, Clifford
against that primary in Pennsylvania
until the question of expenditures was
brought In as an issue.
IL Is true the primary campaign cost
a considerable sum of money, The
ticket which had the honor to head
also had candidates for governor lieu
tenant governor, secretary of internal
affairs, Congressman, members of the
State Legislature and the State COM
mittee. There was a bitter struggle
Tor governorship and control of the
State committee; The expenditures of
the ticket on which I was the candi-
date were about one-third of those of
my principal opponent. Am I to be
condemned because without a newspa-
per, with the State organization and
county organizations against me and
my friends, we were compelled to spend
one-tnlrd OF what our principal oppo-
nents spent in bringing the issues of
the campaign to the 100000 voters Of
the State? In Pennsylvania we don't
have one dominant industry and one
easy way to reach all people. In the
Middle West almost every one speaks
English-ready English. They are ali
interested in agriculture. One folder
in plain English-would reach their
chief interest.
Cites Scope Of Campaign.
But in Pennsylvania we nad To
reach steel workers around Pittsburgh
miners around Scranton, farmers
around, Lancaster, and workers, min
ers, farmers in all other sections of
II,
must have discussions in Lithuanian
and In Polish-each in the language he
knows. This multiplies expense.
There are Senators sitting on this
floor today whose election last Novem-
Der cost more per vote, more per CAPITA
and more per voting district than the
expenditures for the Vare-Beidleman
ticket in the Pennsylvania primary in
1925. In the Pennsylvania campaign,
the expenditures now charged to me
alone instead Of to all the candidates
$81.75 per thousand population and
$9l.68 per voting district. Those of the
Pepper-Fisher State ticket were $3.50
per vote, $lS7.74 per thousand popula- :
ton and $210.59 per voting district
There were 1,451 ,557 votes cast in that
primary and the expenditures of INV
ticket represented 81 cents per vote.
I'm the recent November election we
find from a report submitted to this
body by one of its special committees
expenditures in many States which far
you. In Nevada we find the costs were
$4.46 per vote, $815.33 per thousand
population and $263.78 per voting dis
trict. In Montana we find the cost per
vote $2.59, the expenditure per thou
sand population $371.01 and the cost
per voting district $136.70 Even in
New York State the expenditures were
greater per capita, per voting district
and, I have no doubt. per vote than
those In Pennsylvania. All this Is said
without criticism as. have no doubt
all expenditures were proper.
I'm Pennsylvania in 1926 had nc
, party organization outside of two coun-
ties. Organizations had to be built
from the bottom and financed. 1t was
not q clean-cut contest between two
major parties such as the election OF
November. 1928, on which have quoted
expenditures.
I'm fact, the Republican expenditure.
In "A States and the Democratic In II