Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-01-02

The New York World has been exposing
some of the devious paths which lead to
office in that immaculate metropolis, and
the expense attendant on political cam
paigns. We quote a few paragraphs =
The experiences of regular candidate
for Assembly in this city may be summed
up as follows. This is not confined to any
party, but is practised in all, but more gen.
orally on the Democratic side, for the
chances for election on that side are much
better than on the Republican: In the first
place the name is paraded as candidate;
from one to five hundred dollars are spent
in preliminary efforts to secure the nomina-
ton, just in accordance with the disposition
of the candidate. Twenty or fifty dol
lars judiciously expended accomplish Just as
much as five hundred in securing the nomi-
nation. The convention finally assemblies,
nomination is made, and the successful
man is invited to make a speech
The convention adjourns, when he is
expected to treat the whole company to
twenty-five to fifty dollars. Then comes
the work Of advertising in the papers, post
ing placards on fences, piles of bricks and
curbstones; also printing the tickets,as well
as his assessment for the benefit of the par.
ty, To assist In the general ;ampaign and
taking charge of the election booths. The
legitimate expense, under all these heads
combined, for a candidate for Assembly, is
variously put down at from two to five hun
drcd dollars. The former figure is as low,
probably, as any candidate for Assembly
ever can get through with his printing and
advertising expenses. And all this may be
said to come in under the head of legitimate
Then comes the illegitimate portion, which
can be run up to any figure, If the nomi-
nee is not person of general popularity, the
first thing that he knows there are three or
four new organizations in the district, each
OF which nominates a candidate, under the
head Of citizens, taxpayers, workingmen's,
peoples or some other haekneyed title.
overtures are at once made to the regular
candidate, that such and such nominee will
withdraw, and his party will endorse him(the
regular) for certain sum. The mon snt that
a candidate yields 10 this there are no end to
the nominations made in the district and
propositions to sell out, and they are gener-
ally made by the same clique, care being
taken to send different man each time to
make the bargain. These are simply strik-
ers. The most extensive business has been
done In this line of late under the name of
citlzens or peoples party. Occasionally
these strikers catch tartar when the par
ties undertaking it are obliged to back out
without pay or go 10 the expense of paying
for advertisements and posters and printing
their tickets. In this case they find them
selves recorded in the papers after election
as having received from three up to two or
three hundred votes, just in accordance to
the size and infCeces of their CLIQUE. The
newspapers have done much to encourage
this system of political striking in the city
by giving them prominence in noticing and
publishing their meetings. This practice
has become decided nuisance, but was less
successful this year than ever before. Near
ly all the. candidates for Assembly refused
to recognize or treat with those thus brought
out, andthe result bas been a wholesome
lesson to the whole tribe of strikers in the
city, as well as furnishing evidence that
they are really unable TO influence the cleo
ton or affect the result