Roberts, George C.

English

ScholarWorks@UARK

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of ScienceVolume 15 Article 101961State Party Activity in a Two-Party Environment:The Democratic Party of IndianaGeorge C. RobertsUniversity of Arkansas, FayettevilleFollow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaasPart of the American Politics Commons, Political History Commons, and the United StatesHistory CommonsThis article is available for use under the Creative Commons license: Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0). Users are able toread, download, copy, print, distribute, search, link to the full texts of these articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking priorpermission from the publisher or the author.This Article is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UARK. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of the Arkansas Academyof Science by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks@UARK. For more information, please contact scholar@uark.edu, ccmiddle@uark.edu.Recommended CitationRoberts, George C. (1961) "State Party Activity in a Two-Party Environment: The Democratic Party of Indiana," Journal of theArkansas Academy of Science: Vol. 15 , Article 10.Available at: http://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol15/iss1/10STATE PARTY ACTIVITYIN A TWO-PARTY ENVIRONMENT: THEDEMOCRATIC PARTY OF INDIANAGeorge C. RobertsUniversity of ArkansasThe Democratic Party of Indiana operates in a state markedby its liking for politics. Although both the Democratic andRepublican Parties participate vigorously and hopefully in pol-itical competition,the Democratic Party since 1896 has be-come the second party in the state. This study will examinethe role of the Indiana Democratic Party as a state party, butnot as a confederate member of a national party system or asa party organized at the local political levels of the state.Interest will be focused on party activity,mainly from 1952through 1958.The State Convention ,meeting every two years, is one stateparty institution, but it exhibits no permanence. 1 The StateCentral Committee, consisting of two members from each ofIndiana's eleven congressional districts, is declared by lawto be "the highest party authority."^During the tenure of StateChairman Charles Skillen this Committee met at least eighttimes a year, often in conjunction with other party agencies. 3In addition to selecting its own officers at reorganizationalmeetings every two years itarranged for such party functionsas the State Convention and the annual Jefferson-Jackson Din-ner. The Committee also made general plans for campaign fi-nance and strategy. However, the Committee itself was not apermanently functioning body either.Permanency ofparty at the state level was found in the stateparty headquarters and in the officer corps of the Committee,selected by the Committee itself. These headquarters wereocated in four rooms of the Claypool Hotel inIndianapolis.The State Chairman and Vice-Chairman were considered fuli-ime staff members, but the Secretary and Treasurer were not.n addition there were usually three secretaries and a stockIThe Convention's importance lies with its power to nominateall candidates for statewide office.rndiana. State Election Board. Election Laws of Indiana(Primary Election) (Indianapolis, 1952), p. 77.reeting, for instance, withthe State Convention, the NationalCommittee, the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner. Interview withCharles Skillen, September 1, 1959.68Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 15 [1961], Art. 10Published by Arkansas Academy of Science, 1961STATE PARTY ACTIVITYINA TWO-PARTY ENVIRONMENTcleric on duty. Extra personnel ,partly consisting of candi-dates for state office, were assembled during campaigns. Atthe close of 1958 the Chairman was being paid $694.48 monthly,the Vice-Chairman $345.53, the Secretary $187.11, and four-secretaries' and clerks 1 salaries ranging from $226.23 to$285.52.5 jjet salaries of employees for a periodof thirty-onemonths amounted to $72,435.94. Office rent for the same per-iod was $7,732.86. 6Auxiliary groups aiding the State Committee on a state-widelevel were the Indiana Democratic Editorial Association, thendiana Women's State Democratic Club, and the Young Dem-crats of Indiana. The IDEA held two annual meetings whichttracted politicians and generated political activity. TheWomen's Club was helpful to oarty efforts during campaignsnd helped raise party funds. 8 The Young Democrats wereore noted for county activity, but held a state conventionvery two years which brought political leaders together.The more noticeable aspects of state party activity can beobserved when Indiana Democrats are waging general electioncampaigns. The State Committee, delegating power to theState Chairman, and making use of other state party agencies ,performs the vital role of coordinating state campaign activity.The state party cannot avoid contact with the national partyor the local party groups in Indiana, particularly when candi-dates for national, state, and local office are simultaneouslyIgaged in campaign efforts. Also the state party may desire3se cooperation with these other levels of party, particu-ly ifsuch cooperation results in votes needed to elect thestate ticket. Nor could a state party detach itself from nationaland local political issues, even if this was desired.The coordination of campaign efforts sought by the StateInterview with Patty Fpx, June 18, 1960.5Report of Eugene B. Crave, Treasurer, Indiana State CentralDemocratic Committee, for the period May 16, 1958 - No-vember 15, 1958 (in the Treasurer's records).Om __. . , ,_ ., . ,, , ,«_„Treasurer's records for the period June 1, 1956-December31, 1958 (in State Committee office).Speakers from time to time were Harry S. Truman, GovernorG. Mennen Williams of Michigan, National DemocraticChairman Paul Butler, and United States Senators OlinJohnston and Frank Church.tthe 1956 and 1958 campaigns the women's groups raised$2,480.55.69Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 15 [1961], Art. 10http://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol15/iss1/10ARKANSAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCECommittee may also be applied to the various elements withinthe campaign at the state level itself. Ordinarily the Indianacampaign is centered around the race for Governor in presiden-tial election years , or around the ticket-leader in non-presi-dential years .9 The gubernatorial candidate usually operatesthrough the state party headquarters. However, this may notalways be the case. In1956, due to differences of opinionbetween the gubernatorial candidate and the State Chairman,the formeropened a separate campaign headquarters and namechis own manager. 1^ The resulting splintering of campaignefforts was followed by a more exact coordination of effortsin 1958 so that the nominee for U. S. Senator and other stateand congressional candidates pledged that their campaignswould be coordinated with the state headquarters .HA general coordination of state campaign efforts meant thatteamwork was practiced, but complete teamwork would nothave been considered practical ifithad meant that all statecandidates should be together at all times. There were oc-casions that called for community efforts on the part of office-seekers; there were other occasions that did not. Ifa presi-dential candidate visited the state he was likely to attractmost state candidates to one location. 12 The Indiana appear-ance of former President Harry S. Truman in 1958 also broughtthe state ticket to Fort Wayne to officiallyopen the campaign.The ticket-leader also planned general campaign circuits aboutthe state, and it was agreed that other congressional and statecandidates would joinhim in specific localities. *3 But other-wise candidates for state office, including the ticket-header,were engaged in individualcampaign efforts and might seldomencounter their fellowcandidates on the campaign trail. Thisindividual activity particularly marked Ho osier campaigns.These activities were in general coordinated through a speak-9In non-presidential years the ticket-leader would be thenominee for United States Senator or Secretary of State.l^The Chairman had opposed the candidate's nomination orig-inally. They were later divided over the size of the cam-paign budget after the candidate could not muster enoughstrength to oust the Chairman.Louisville Courier-Journal , July 11, 1958.¦^Adlai Stevenson accomplished this with Indianapolisspeeches in 1952 and 1956.13 See Louisville Courier-Journal. July 11, 1958, foroverall1958 campaign strategy.70Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 15 [1961], Art. 10Published by Arkansas Academy of Science, 1961STflTE PARTY ACTIVITYINA TWO-PARTY ENVIRONMENTis bureau located in state party headquarters in the sense[t speakers, particularly the ticket-header, were allocatedthe county party organizations in view of overall campaignategy/ and secondly in view of local demands for speakers.Party meetings participated in by state candidates in thelocalities took the form of township, ward, county, and con-gressional district rallies, teas, barbecues, fishfrys, break-fasts, picnics, and automobile caravans. Candidates alsomade political remarks before special interest groups consist-ing of veterans, labor union members, businessmen, dairy-men, and municipal officials.Assistance to Indiana campaign efforts came from outsidesources when Democrats, not then candidates for any officespoke at political rallies. United States Senators Estes Ke-fauver, John Sparkman, John Kennedy, Hubert Humphrey, Lyn-don Johnson, and Frank Church were particularly active in the1956 and 1958 campaigns.¦The months of September and October were marked by manyieches under various sponsors throughout the state. A pat-tern of gradual buildup to election eve inNovember was feat-ured. 14The second major aspect of state party activity was thatof distributing political literature and providing for other partypublicity. The state headquarters often acted as middlemanwhen it simply passed on to county organizations literatureconcerned withnational issues which had come from the Dem-ocratic National Committee. On occasions the state head-quarters distributed pamphlets paid for by wealthy county partyorganizations . Then there were pamphlets concerned withstateissues produced by either the State Committee itself or cam-paign groups which had been set up especially to elect a Gov-ernor or United States Senator. 15 The State Committee itselfproduces a standard campaign handbook containing the Stateparty platform, messages from the State Chairman and Vice-Chairman, and pictures or biographical data on national, con-14See particularly the Indiana Democrat for September andOctober of 1956, and the Indiana Sentinel for the same¦ months of 1958 for a general view of such activity.John A.Watkins for Governor," Watkins for Governor ClubInc., 1952 (in writer's collection), and "ConfidentialFact Sheet" Hoosiers for Hartke, October 23, 1958 (inwriter's collection).71Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 15 [1961], Art. 10http://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol15/iss1/10ARKANSAS ACADEMYOF SCIENCEgressional, state, and legislative candidates. *6 inadditiondivisions within the state party headquarters made printed an.!peals to special groups of voters .The State Committee also relied upon posters and billboarddisplays forpublicity purposes. The combined cost for this typeofpublicity in the two general election campaigns of 1956 and1958 was $83,189.87. Inthe same two campaigns the State Com-mittee spent $90,393.95 for radio and television time.17 Apub-licrelations firmwas being paid $477. 15 monthly at thecloseof1958 for its aid ingaining publicity for the Democratic Party. 18The newspaper is a potential source of party publicity, botduring election campaigns and between campaigns. Howeverof eighty-seven daily newspapers published in Indiana in 195onlyeighteen were called Democratic. Only sixof the eighteeDemocratic dailies had circulations of over 5,000; only onover 20,000. The Democratic Party had no newspaper withcirculation comparable to the combined circulation of the Republican house organs, the Indianapolis Star and News, whicstood at 377,116 U 19It was possible that a Democratic newspaper could havexisted in every county, subsidized by state laws requirinthat election notices, legal notices, and financial notices osome governmental units be published in two newspapers oopposite politicalaffiliation.20 This device could particularlbe used to help support a weekly newspaper. Even so, of twohundred and eighty- five weekly, tri-weekly, or semi-weeklnewspapers existing in 1958, only one hundred were Democratic. The largest circulation of a Democratic weekly wa30,143.*Some of these Democratic dailies and weeklieha a strange relationships with the Republican Party insomuchas the same publisher, in order to be subsidized by govem-16"Indiana Democratic Candidates and Principles," IndianaDemocratic State Central Committee, 1958 (in writer'scollection).Treasurer's records for the period June 1, 1956 - December31, 1958 (in State Committee Office).18Ibid.,and Louisville Courier-Journal . August 6, 1960.19Directory of Newspapers and Periodicals (Philadelphia: N.W. Ayer and Son, Inc., 1958) , pp. 311-339.20 See, for example, Indiana. State Election Board. ElectionLaws of Indiana (Primary Election) (Indianapolis, 1952),p. 164.of Newspapers and Periodicals (Philadelphia: N.W. Ayer and Son, Inc., 1958). pp. 311-339.72Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 15 [1961], Art. 10Published by Arkansas Academy of Science, 196173STATE PARTY ACTIVITYINA TWO-PARTY ENVIRONMENTtmtal agencies, would own two county newspapers, labelinge Democratic; the other Republican.The State Committee itself published a four-page newspaperailed Chanticleer for party workers, but the publication lastedess than a year. InMarion County (Indianapolis) two Demo-ratic newspapers, first the Indiana Democrat and later thendiana Sentinel, gave the national and state Democratic Part-es agood bitof publicity during the 1956 and 1958 campaigns,•arty activities were highlighted, editorials and Herblock car-oons were featured, and during campaigns, speeches of stateandidates were reported. However, the Sentinel's circulationtood at only 8,800, and there is no indication that the Stateommittee subsidized these newspapers with political adver-tisements during campaigns. The main role of the press inIndiana, as far as the Democratic Party is concerned, has beento provide a medium from which political leaders might bechosen, particularly through IDEA activities . The 1952 can-didate for Governor was a newspaper publisher, whileHenryF. Schricker, Indiana's only two-term Governor, had also beenactive in the newspaper world.Generally, the outside limits of political party activity areset by available financial resources. 22 How much money couldbe raised by the Democratic State Committee inIndiana? Forthe thirty-one -month period from June 1, 1956 through Decem-|>r 31, 1958 the financial intake of the Committee was118,977.77. This period covered two general election cam-ligns. From May 16 through November 15, 1958 the Com-Ittee was able to raise $140,830.00 for the fall campaign.ie best months for collecting funds in IS58 were October,ne, and September, in that order, when $122,055,85 wasised.Another question is where did the collected funds comerom? A breakdown of contributions from June 1, 1956 throughDecember 31, 1958 shows that $376,028.89 of the total418,977.77 came from nine distinct sources. The largestource was the County Committees which gave nearly one-urth of the funds collected, or a total of $90,083.86. Theceipts from the annual Jefferson-Jackson dinners furnishede second largest sum ($70,360.00). Candidate assessmentsthe State Convention made up the third greatest source$51,950.00), individual or general contributions fourthrThe sources used for examination of financial activity arecited in footnotes 5 and 6 above.73Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 15 [1961], Art. 10http://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol15/iss1/10ARKANSAS ACADEMYOF SCIENCE($49,656.32), and fees levied against. State Convention del-egates fifth ($40 ,540. 00). 23Contributions from individuals made up the fourth largestsource of State Committee income, but only about one-eighthof the total. These individual contributions were not highlyconcentrated. During the May through November 1958 cam-paign period there were twenty-five persons who made contri-butions of $200.00 or more, but only two of these personsmade total contributions of $500.00 or more. Allcontribu-tions from individuals of $200.00 or more made up only$6,700.00 of the total $140,830.00 collected by the commit-tee during this 1958 period. The individuals making thesecontributions included a State Committee officer, a formerNational Chairman, a former Governor, two former DistrictChairman, a Mayor, a former County Chairman, and an Indian-apolis attorney.How did the State Committee spend the money it raised?For the thirty-one-month period, from June 1, 1956 throughDecember 31, 1958, $423,731.01 was spent. Of this total,$269,274.34 was expended on five items — radio and tele-vision time ($90,393.95), net salaries ($72,435.94), posters($54,106.20), billboards ($29,083.67), and contributions tothe Democratic National Committee ($23,254.58).Inviewing the vigorous activity of the Indiana DemocraticParty at the state level, particularly through campaign travelsand speeches and rallies, through publicity purposes, andthrough general financial activityone could conclude that theIndiana Democracy was a serious contender for state officefrom 1952 through 1958. But while it did not fail to match theRepublican Party in vigor, it lacked the patronage advantagesthat the Republican Party had in the state and nation. After1952 Indiana Democrats had to rely mainly on courthouses andcity halls for patronage.'The Democrats failed tomatch the Republican ability to raisecampaign funds also. In 1958 during a period of time whenthe Democratic State Committee raised $140,830.00 for cam-paign purposes the Republican State Committee raised$575,636.89. This disparity of income was in large part re-sponsible for a disparity inoffice personnel and in the abilityThe other four large sources were Dollars for Democrats,the 1958 Truman Dinner, the Hoosiers for Hartke Club,and assessments of National Convention delegates.24One was for $500.00; the other for $700.00.74Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 15 [1961], Art. 10Published by Arkansas Academy of Science, 1961STATE PARTY ACTIVITYINA TWO-PARTY ENVIRONMENTIpurchase publicity,, The office staff of the Republican Com-ttee stood at thirty-three or more at the height of the 1958mpaign, while the Democrats had only a few volunteerirkers in addition to their usual three secretaries and a;rko 25 The Republican State Committee spent $464,423.62various campaign programs and publicity devices from Mayough November of 1958, while during the two general elec-n campaigns of 1956 and 1958 and the city campaigns of55 the Democratic State Committee spent only $203,577.96similar items.° So finally, these limitations on Demo-itic activity would have to be considered in any evaluationthe effectiveness of Democratic Party campaigns as com-•ed to those of the opposition.25fterview with Republican worker, June 18, 1960.e Democratic financial records, listed above, are herecompared with the report of the Treasurer of the Repub-lican State Committee, May 11, 1958 - November 18,1958 (in County Clerk's Office, Marion County, Indiana).75Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 15 [1961], Art. 10http://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol15/iss1/10

State Party Activity in a Two-Party Environment: The Democratic Party of Indiana

UARK (University of Arkansas )

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science Volume 15 Article 10 1961 State Party Activity in a Two-Party Environment: The Democratic Party of Indiana George C. Roberts University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas  Part of the American Politics Commons, Political History Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Roberts, George C. (1961) "State Party Activity in a Two-Party Environment: The Democratic Party of Indiana," Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science: Vol. 15 , Article 10. Available at: https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol15/iss1/10 This article is available for use under the Creative Commons license: Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0). Users are able to read, download, copy, print, distribute, search, link to the full texts of these articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UARK. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks@UARK. For more information, please contact scholar@uark.edu. STATE PARTY ACTIVITYIN A TWO-PARTY ENVIRONMENT: THEDEMOCRATIC PARTY OF INDIANAGeorge C. RobertsUniversity of ArkansasThe Democratic Party of Indiana operates in a state markedby its liking for politics. Although both the Democratic andRepublican Parties participate vigorously and hopefully in pol-itical competition,the Democratic Party since 1896 has be-come the second party in the state. This study will examinethe role of the Indiana Democratic Party as a state party, butnot as a confederate member of a national party system or asa party organized at the local political levels of the state.Interest will be focused on party activity,mainly from 1952through 1958.The State Convention ,meeting every two years, is one stateparty institution, but it exhibits no permanence. 1 The StateCentral Committee, consisting of two members from each ofIndiana's eleven congressional districts, is declared by lawto be "the highest party authority."^During the tenure of StateChairman Charles Skillen this Committee met at least eighttimes a year, often in conjunction with other party agencies. 3In addition to selecting its own officers at reorganizationalmeetings every two years itarranged for such party functionsas the State Convention and the annual Jefferson-Jackson Din-ner. The Committee also made general plans for campaign fi-nance and strategy. However, the Committee itself was not apermanently functioning body either.Permanency ofparty at the state level was found in the stateparty headquarters and in the officer corps of the Committee,selected by the Committee itself. These headquarters wereocated in four rooms of the Claypool Hotel inIndianapolis.The State Chairman and Vice-Chairman were considered fuli-ime staff members, but the Secretary and Treasurer were not.n addition there were usually three secretaries and a stockIThe Convention's importance lies with its power to nominateall candidates for statewide office.rndiana. State Election Board. Election Laws of Indiana(Primary Election) (Indianapolis, 1952), p. 77.reeting, for instance, withthe State Convention, the NationalCommittee, the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner. Interview withCharles Skillen, September 1, 1959.68Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 15 [1961], Art. 10Published by Arkansas Academy of Science, 1961STATE PARTY ACTIVITYINA TWO-PARTY ENVIRONMENTcleric on duty. Extra personnel ,partly consisting of candi-dates for state office, were assembled during campaigns. Atthe close of 1958 the Chairman was being paid $694.48 monthly,the Vice-Chairman $345.53, the Secretary $187.11, and four-secretaries' and clerks 1 salaries ranging from $226.23 to$285.52.5 jjet salaries of employees for a periodof thirty-onemonths amounted to $72,435.94. Office rent for the same per-iod was $7,732.86. 6Auxiliary groups aiding the State Committee on a state-widelevel were the Indiana Democratic Editorial Association, thendiana Women's State Democratic Club, and the Young Dem-crats of Indiana. The IDEA held two annual meetings whichttracted politicians and generated political activity. TheWomen's Club was helpful to oarty efforts during campaignsnd helped raise party funds. 8 The Young Democrats wereore noted for county activity, but held a state conventionvery two years which brought political leaders together.The more noticeable aspects of state party activity can beobserved when Indiana Democrats are waging general electioncampaigns. The State Committee, delegating power to theState Chairman, and making use of other state party agencies ,performs the vital role of coordinating state campaign activity.The state party cannot avoid contact with the national partyor the local party groups in Indiana, particularly when candi-dates for national, state, and local office are simultaneouslyIgaged in campaign efforts. Also the state party may desire3se cooperation with these other levels of party, particu-ly ifsuch cooperation results in votes needed to elect thestate ticket. Nor could a state party detach itself from nationaland local political issues, even if this was desired.The coordination of campaign efforts sought by the StateInterview with Patty Fpx, June 18, 1960.5Report of Eugene B. Crave, Treasurer, Indiana State CentralDemocratic Committee, for the period May 16, 1958-No-vember 15, 1958 (in the Treasurer's records).Om __. . , ,_ ., . ,, , ,«_„Treasurer's records for the period June 1, 1956 - December31, 1958 (in State Committee office).Speakers from time to time were Harry S. Truman, GovernorG. Mennen Williams of Michigan, National DemocraticChairman Paul Butler, and United States Senators OlinJohnston and Frank Church.tthe 1956 and 1958 campaigns the women's groups raised$2,480.55.69Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 15 [1961], Art. 10https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol15/iss1/10ARKANSAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCECommittee may also be applied to the various elements withinthe campaign at the state level itself. Ordinarily the Indianacampaign is centered around the race for Governor in presiden-tial election years , or around the ticket-leader in non-presi-dential years .9 The gubernatorial candidate usually operatesthrough the state party headquarters. However, this may notalways be the case. In1956, due to differences of opinionbetween the gubernatorial candidate and the State Chairman,the formeropened a separate campaign headquarters and namechis own manager. 1^ The resulting splintering of campaignefforts was followed by a more exact coordination of effortsin 1958 so that the nominee for U. S. Senator and other stateand congressional candidates pledged that their campaignswould be coordinated with the state headquarters .HA general coordination of state campaign efforts meant thatteamwork was practiced, but complete teamwork would nothave been considered practical ifithad meant that all statecandidates should be together at all times. There were oc-casions that called for community efforts on the part of office-seekers; there were other occasions that did not. Ifa presi-dential candidate visited the state he was likely to attractmost state candidates to one location. 12 The Indiana appear-ance of former President Harry S. Truman in 1958 also broughtthe state ticket to Fort Wayne to officiallyopen the campaign.The ticket-leader also planned general campaign circuits aboutthe state, and it was agreed that other congressional and statecandidates would joinhim in specific localities. *3 But other-wise candidates for state office, including the ticket-header,were engaged in individualcampaign efforts and might seldomencounter their fellowcandidates on the campaign trail. Thisindividual activity particularly marked Ho osier campaigns.These activities were in general coordinated through a speak-9In non-presidential years the ticket-leader would be thenominee for United States Senator or Secretary of State.l^The Chairman had opposed the candidate's nomination orig-inally. They were later divided over the size of the cam-paign budget after the candidate could not muster enoughstrength to oust the Chairman.Louisville Courier-Journal , July 11, 1958.¦^Adlai Stevenson accomplished this with Indianapolisspeeches in 1952 and 1956.13 See Louisville Courier-Journal. July 11, 1958, foroverall1958 campaign strategy.70Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 15 [1961], Art. 10Published by Arkansas Academy of Science, 1961STflTE PARTY ACTIVITYINA TWO-PARTY ENVIRONMENTisbureau located in state party headquarters in the sense[t speakers, particularly the ticket-header, were allocatedthe county party organizations in view of overall campaignategy/ and secondly in view of local demands for speakers.Party meetings participated in by state candidates in thelocalities took the form of township, ward, county, and con-gressional district rallies, teas, barbecues, fishfrys, break-fasts, picnics, and automobile caravans. Candidates alsomade political remarks before special interest groups consist-ing of veterans, labor union members, businessmen, dairy-men, and municipal officials.Assistance to Indiana campaign efforts came from outsidesources when Democrats, not then candidates for any officespoke at political rallies. United States Senators Estes Ke-fauver, John Sparkman, John Kennedy, Hubert Humphrey, Lyn-don Johnson, and Frank Church were particularly active in the1956 and 1958 campaigns.¦The months of September and October were marked by manyieches under various sponsors throughout the state. A pat-tern of gradual buildup to election eve inNovember was feat-ured. 14The second major aspect of state party activity was thatof distributing political literature and providing for other partypublicity. The state headquarters often acted as middlemanwhen it simply passed on to county organizations literatureconcerned withnational issues which had come from the Dem-ocratic National Committee. On occasions the state head-quarters distributed pamphlets paid for by wealthy county partyorganizations . Then there were pamphlets concerned withstateissues produced by either the State Committee itself or cam-paign groups which had been set up especially to elect a Gov-ernor or United States Senator. 15 The State Committee itselfproduces a standard campaign handbook containing the Stateparty platform, messages from the State Chairman and Vice-Chairman, and pictures or biographical data on national, con-14See particularly the Indiana Democrat for September andOctober of 1956, and the Indiana Sentinel for the same¦ months of 1958 for a general view of such activity.John A.Watkins for Governor," Watkins for Governor ClubInc., 1952 (in writer's collection), and "ConfidentialFact Sheet" Hoosiers for Hartke, October 23, 1958 (inwriter's collection).71Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 15 [1961], Art. 10https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol15/iss1/10ARKANSAS ACADEMYOF SCIENCEgressional, state, and legislative candidates. *6 inadditiondivisions within the state party headquarters made printed an.!peals to special groups of voters .The State Committee also relied upon posters and billboarddisplays forpublicity purposes. The combined cost for this typeofpublicity in the two general election campaigns of 1956 and1958 was $83,189.87. Inthe same two campaigns the State Com-mittee spent $90,393.95 for radio and television time.17 Apub-licrelations firmwas being paid $477. 15 monthly at thecloseof1958 for its aid ingaining publicity for the Democratic Party. 18The newspaper is a potential source of party publicity, botduring election campaigns and between campaigns. Howeverof eighty-seven daily newspapers published in Indiana in 195onlyeighteen were called Democratic. Only sixof the eighteeDemocratic dailies had circulations of over 5,000; only onover 20,000. The Democratic Party had no newspaper withcirculation comparable to the combined circulation of the Republican house organs, the Indianapolis Star and News, whicstood at 377,116 U 19It was possible that a Democratic newspaper could havexisted in every county, subsidized by state laws requirinthat election notices, legal notices, and financial notices osome governmental units be published in two newspapers oopposite politicalaffiliation.20 This device could particularlbe used to help support a weekly newspaper. Even so, of twohundred and eighty- five weekly, tri-weekly, or semi-weeklnewspapers existing in 1958, only one hundred were Democratic. The largest circulation of a Democratic weekly wa30,143.*Some of these Democratic dailies and weeklieha a strange relationships with the Republican Party insomuchas the same publisher, in order to be subsidized by govem-16"Indiana Democratic Candidates and Principles," IndianaDemocratic State Central Committee, 1958 (in writer'scollection).Treasurer's records for the period June 1, 1956 - December31, 1958 (in State Committee Office).18Ibid.,and Louisville Courier-Journal . August 6, 1960.19Directory of Newspapers and Periodicals (Philadelphia: N.W. Ayer and Son, Inc., 1958) , pp. 311-339.20 See, for example, Indiana. State Election Board. ElectionLaws of Indiana (Primary Election) (Indianapolis, 1952),p. 164.of Newspapers and Periodicals (Philadelphia: N.W. Ayer and Son, Inc., 1958). pp. 311-339.72Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 15 [1961], Art. 10Published by Arkansas Academy of Science, 196173STATE PARTY ACTIVITYINA TWO-PARTY ENVIRONMENTtmtal agencies, would own two county newspapers, labelinge Democratic; the other Republican.The State Committee itself published a four-page newspaperailed Chanticleer for party workers, but the publication lastedess than a year. InMarion County (Indianapolis) two Demo-ratic newspapers, first the Indiana Democrat and later thendiana Sentinel, gave the national and state Democratic Part-es agood bitof publicity during the 1956 and 1958 campaigns,•arty activities were highlighted, editorials and Herblock car-oons were featured, and during campaigns, speeches of stateandidates were reported. However, the Sentinel's circulationtood at only 8,800, and there is no indication that the Stateommittee subsidized these newspapers with political adver-tisements during campaigns. The main role of the press inIndiana, as far as the Democratic Party is concerned, has beento provide a medium from which political leaders might bechosen, particularly through IDEA activities . The 1952 can-didate for Governor was a newspaper publisher, whileHenryF. Schricker, Indiana's only two-term Governor, had also beenactive in the newspaper world.Generally, the outside limits of political party activity areset by available financial resources. 22 How much money couldbe raised by the Democratic State Committee inIndiana? Forthe thirty-one -month period from June 1, 1956 through Decem-|>r31, 1958 the financial intake of the Committee was118,977.77. This period covered two general election cam-ligns. From May 16 through November 15, 1958 the Com-Ittee was able to raise $140,830.00 for the fall campaign.ie best months for collecting funds in IS58 were October,ne, and September, in that order, when $122,055,85 wasised.Another question is where did the collected funds comerom? A breakdown of contributions from June 1, 1956 throughDecember 31, 1958 shows that $376,028.89 of the total418,977.77 came from nine distinct sources. The largestource was the County Committees which gave nearly one-urth of the funds collected, or a total of $90,083.86. Theceipts from the annual Jefferson-Jackson dinners furnishede second largest sum ($70,360.00). Candidate assessmentsthe State Convention made up the third greatest source$51,950.00), individual or general contributions fourthrThe sources used for examination of financial activity arecited in footnotes 5 and 6 above.73Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 15 [1961], Art. 10https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol15/iss1/10ARKANSAS ACADEMYOF SCIENCE($49,656.32), and fees levied against. State Convention del-egates fifth ($40 ,540. 00). 23Contributions from individuals made up the fourth largestsource of State Committee income, but only about one-eighthof the total. These individual contributions were not highlyconcentrated. During the May through November 1958 cam-paign period there were twenty-five persons who made contri-butions of $200.00 or more, but only two of these personsmade total contributions of $500.00 or more. Allcontribu-tions from individuals of $200.00 or more made up only$6,700.00 of the total $140,830.00 collected by the commit-tee during this 1958 period. The individuals making thesecontributions included a State Committee officer, a formerNational Chairman, a former Governor, two former DistrictChairman, a Mayor, a former County Chairman, and an Indian-apolis attorney.How did the State Committee spend the money it raised?For the thirty-one-month period, from June 1, 1956 throughDecember 31, 1958, $423,731.01 was spent. Of this total,$269,274.34 was expended on five items—radio and tele-vision time ($90,393.95), net salaries ($72,435.94), posters($54,106.20), billboards ($29,083.67), and contributions tothe Democratic National Committee ($23,254.58).Inviewing the vigorous activity of the Indiana DemocraticParty at the state level, particularly through campaign travelsand speeches and rallies, through publicity purposes, andthrough general financial activityone could conclude that theIndiana Democracy was a serious contender for state officefrom 1952 through 1958. But while it did not fail to match theRepublican Party in vigor, it lacked the patronage advantagesthat the Republican Party had in the state and nation. After1952 Indiana Democrats had to rely mainly on courthouses andcity halls for patronage.'The Democrats failed tomatch the Republican ability to raisecampaign funds also. In 1958 during a period of time whenthe Democratic State Committee raised $140,830.00 for cam-paign purposes the Republican State Committee raised$575,636.89. This disparity of income was in large part re-sponsible for a disparity inoffice personnel and in the abilityThe other four large sources were Dollars for Democrats,the 1958 Truman Dinner, the Hoosiers for Hartke Club,and assessments of National Convention delegates.24One was for $500.00; the other for $700.00.74Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 15 [1961], Art. 10Published by Arkansas Academy of Science, 1961STATE PARTY ACTIVITYINA TWO-PARTY ENVIRONMENTIpurchase publicity,, The office staff of the Republican Com-ttee stood at thirty-three or more at the height of the 1958mpaign, while the Democrats had only a few volunteerirkers in addition to their usual three secretaries and a;rko 25 The Republican State Committee spent $464,423.62various campaign programs and publicity devices from Mayough November of 1958, while during the two general elec-n campaigns of 1956 and 1958 and the city campaigns of55 the Democratic State Committee spent only $203,577.96similar items.°So finally, these limitations on Demo-itic activity would have to be considered in any evaluationthe effectiveness of Democratic Party campaigns as com-•ed to those of the opposition.25fterviewwith Republican worker, June 18, 1960.e Democratic financial records, listed above, are herecompared with the report of the Treasurer of the Repub-lican State Committee, May 11, 1958-November 18,1958 (in County Clerk's Office, Marion County, Indiana).75Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 15 [1961], Art. 10https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol15/iss1/10

https://scholarworks.uark.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3177&amp;context=jaas

State Party Activity in a Two-Party Environment: The Democratic Party of Indiana

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

ScholarWorks@UARK

UARK (University of Arkansas )