The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-06-09
$500 DONATION
RULE MAY CUT
SENATE field
Democratic Candidate List
of Ten Due to Lose
Three Members.
PETERS, MINT0N PAY
Heavy Delegate CanvaSSing
Expected Before Open
ina of Convention.
BY JAMES DOSS
Times staff Writer

The simple but usually painful
gesture known in sporting parlance
as laying it on the line probably
will be the factor that will cut the
Democratic senatorial field in half
in the state convention Tuesday.
In politics laying it on the line
means that each of the senate can
didates are expected to dig down
into their jeans and come up with
$500 for convention and campaign
expenses.
With ten candidates for the SEN
ate in the field, it is, obvious that
some of them are going to do lot
of delegate canyaSsing up to the
opening of the convention and then
decide that $500 is a trifle expensive
for mere personal advertising.
The Democrats are more circum-
spect about the matter than are the
Republicans. With the latter there
is a party organization rule that re-
quires candidates to pay an assess
ment before their maine is brought
before the convention.
G. o. P. Fee Reported $1,000
1t is reported that it cost Senator
Arthur r. Robinson a sum variouSly
estimated at $1,000 to $3.50 to go
before the convention. This price
undoubtedly swayed former Gov
ernor Harry G. Leslie and William
C. Dennis in the decision that it
was hopeless to make the gesture of
opposing Robinson.
The Democrats do not have rule
that candidates must pay an assess
ment to have their names before the
convention, but it generally is I'M
derstood that the Office aSpirant had
better clay on the line or else"
The Democrats hold that any one
has a right to run and that to force
a candidate to pay before his name
goes in for consideration is both il
legal and unethical.
The prevailing price scale for the
Democratic candidates is $500 for
senator, $500 for judge and $500 for
the other state offices.
Three May Withdraw
1t was reported, but could not be
confirmed today, that at least three
of the ten senate candidates are ex-
pected to withdraw at any moment
and that one of the Withdrawals
will offer the name of another as
pirant in nomination.
Among the candidates who have
paid their $500 contribution" are
r. Earl Peters and Sherman Min
ton, both of whom are leading con-
tenders for the nomination and are
sure to make the race.
One of the reasons that the Re-
publicans are not quite as trusting
as their Democratic brethren is be-
cause of an unfortunate experience
encountered several years ago.
Deadlock Is Discounted
One candidate paid his assess
ment and when he was unsuccessful
in the convention, stopped payment
on his check the next morning.
He hasn't run for Office since.
Senator Frederick Van Mugs, who
arrived here yesterday, said he was
convinced the Democratic conven-
ton will not be deadlocked because
delegates are in no mood for a
hopeless deadlock.
They want a nominee who will
beat Robinson" he said.
The senator added that he had
conferred with all but two of the
announced candidates, and that he
believed all would get behind the
man nominated.
He received visitors today at
Democratic state headquarters in
the Claypool, and planned to ar
range a conference with Governor
Paul V. McNutt.