Evening star., 1938-08-14
The Little Sheppard Means Business


delphia. "tfe average chance for q Phila-
delphia voter to have his vote for Uniteo
States Senator counted correctly was one
in eight" Ware fell. the system continued
In 1886 the committee to investigate
elections started OF with great fanfare.
1t was headed by Senator Lonergan and
composed Of Senators Minton, Schwellen-
bach. Austin and La Toilette. That was
quite an imposing array Of notables In itself
but another name was added that really
might be conjured with. 1t was that OF
Louis CLAWS, reputed to be an ace investi-
gator, famed for his connection with the
famous Pinchot-Ballinger affair. After
long absence from governmental duties. Mr.
CLAWS was recalled for service In the De-
partment Of the Interior to be removed
later as a result Of a brush with Secretary
Ickes. He was employed as the commit
tees chief undercover worker and high
hopes were expressed for the success Of
the investigation. Already bolstered with
the law which made it necessary for can
didates to publish their expenditures, the
committee was expected to delve into every
other method of political subsidy.
1t was predicted that by January 1. 1887.
the investigators would have completed
the most comprehensive survey ever made
Of the history OF presidential election"
And the optimistic hackers pointed out at
the time that revelation Of huge spending
had already wrecked the chances Of two
presidential candidates. That was In 1920
when 1t was discovered that over-zealous
friends Of Gov. Lowden of Illinois had
poured into Missouri golden stream of
vote te-attracting dollars. The Governor had
had no knowledge of this extravagance at
the time, had, Of course. never given his
consent to it, but just the same 1t finished
his race for nomination for President. At
the same time. Gen. Leonard Wood, with
following Of the recently discharged SOL
diers, was politically killed of with too
much kindness on the part Of . civilian
backer. 1t was disvocered that the general,
like the Governor. had friend with a too
open heart and pocketbook. Begged down
by this weight Of gold, both candidates had
to stand aside and as q result, Warren
Gamaliel Harding stepped out Of obscurity
into the White House.
Costs Going Up.
With these memories fresh. the en-
thusiasts of 1886 predicted that at last
something would be done about wholesale
vote buying. Well, something was done.
It was discovered that election costs were
going up. And while the candidates them
selves all turned in legally modest expense
accounts. their friends spending went on.
The committee reported the figures which
it had collected. and about all they proved
was that the Republicans had tossed of
a scant S400o.000 more in trying to defeat
the New Deal than the Democrats had
spent in re-electing Mr.. Roosevelt. The
Republican National Committee reported
$7,400000, and the Democratic National
Committee So, 100000.
But Mr.. CLAWS. No. sleuth, apparently
mark or any other State. The only after
math, and that was a long time coming.
was discovered not in the Senate, but In
the House. Representative jerks, Repub-
lican. from New Hampshire, was declared
elected in 1896. There was some contro-
versy over his vote, but he was allowed to
rest undisturbed until almost the very end
Of the session. Then light suddenly fell on
what the House Investigators considered
was new evidence. Mr.. jerks withdrew
with his salary in his pocket, and Mr..
Alphonse Roy, Democrat. who up until
this moment had been considered the de-
feated candidate, took his seat just in time
to join the feverish rush toward adjourn
ment and go home. He, however, received
his pay Just as If he'd been hard-workin1
Congressman all the time that Mr.. Jenks
had been on the job.
Selling Of Handbooks.
There was, of course. In 1896 and there
after, little rifle over the question Of
the Democratic handbook. autographed by
President Roosevelt. The Corrupt Prac-
tices Act which requires the filing by all
State and national political committees Of
all campaign expenditures quarterly, also
declares it illegal to receive campaign con-
tributions from corporations. Some Of
those books were sold to corporations on
advice of Democratic counsel. which 80
far hasn't been effectively challenged.
Otherwise, nothing happened after the
1896 election to change the course Of en-
pire. and naturally many believe the pres
ent Campaign Expenditures Committee will
Ss.s szRHA7o' sss' o.'a