Have you ever heard the term "thin air"? When you pull on air it stretches. The more air between you and what you want to pull the more space air has to stretch, and the more air there is to stretch. This overworks your vacuum. The longer the pipe, the less efficient the vacuum is. The air has friction against the surface area of the pipe and adds drag which stretches the air thin.

If it helps, water in a tube can only be 'vacuumed' up 10.3 meters before a literal vacuum is created. Whereas the distance water can be pushed vertically through the same tube is only limited by the pressure pushing the water. The more pressure, the higher the water goes.

The difference in pressure on the 2 sides of the wad is what pushes it.

If you use a vacuum, your high pressure side is roughly 15 psi and the other is maybe 0 (probably more, but whatever). So the max difference is 15 psi.

If you use pressure, the low pressure side is 15 psi, but the high side can now be whatever your compressor gives. Maybe 90 psi or more. So the pressure difference is much higher.

When pushing long distances where there will be more drag due to the line being pulled, the higher pressure difference will help more.

While the air is "stretchy," that's not really what matters.

When you feel wind, that air is pushing on you and compresses a bit against you. Air can stretch and thin out, or it can compress and push.