The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-08-06

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ton day, had arrived.
In the main, however, too much
money is spent on documents. Elabor-
ate documents are printed and sent out
bv the carload to various sections of
the country. The personal vanity OF
senators and members of congress has
a good deal to do with swelling the
bulk of these publications. A senator
or member of congress will often make
a speech in congress for the purpose OF
influencing the campaign. he Will
then come to the national committee
afterward and ask to have this speech
circulated as one of the committees
documents. This request is nearly al
ways acceded to to please the member.
1t is not customary to pay speakers
for their services in the campaign. 1t
is usual, however, to pay their expenses,
and in some special cases public men of
sufficient Importance to be paid are
given fees where they cannot afford to
leave their business without payment.
But in nearly every instance the pay
ment becomes known and it has bad
effect A man who talks for his party
because he is paid to do it occupies SIM
ply the position of a special pleader,
and his remarks have no influence if the
fact of such employment is known.
The campaign of this year will be
practically fought upon the same lines
as the one of four years ago. AS each
year shows an increase in the amount
of money employed it is estimated now
that million of dollars will be needed
by each side for campaign purposes.
The battle this year will be largely be-
tween two business organizations rep
resented by the two committees. 1t is
probable that the spirit of the Indiana
management which was so direct and
successful in Minneapolis will control
the republican national committee,
even with Mr.. Carter, of Montana, as
chairman 1t will be remembered that
Gen. Kitchener, who had charge of the
Indiana delegation, has often been men
toned in connection with the coming
campaign He was the directing spirit
of the whole republican campaign at
Minneapolis Gen. Kitchener will be
the presidents representative in the
coming contest.
Upon the other side the directing
mind viii be that of w. c. Whitney.
Mr.. Whitney is man of great reserve
power, possessed of a thorough knowl
edge of the world and one of the most
adroit of political managers. He knows
the value of coaxing instead of driving.
He has unlimited resources at his COM
mand. and so there is no reason to sup
pose that the democrats will be any less
provided with money than the republic
ans.
The chairman of each committee de-
clares as general thing the policy of
the campaign. Back of him is always
the candidate, who is the real chieftain.
Every matter of supreme Importance is
submitted to him before action is
taken. The post of director of these
political organizations is not a desirable
one. He is the ostensible head and
front of the political forces of his side.
He has to bear the brunt of nearly all
the criticisms and possible scandals of
local management. If his side wins the
candidate nearly always is so occupied
with the future as to forget the past.
Whoever heard of the chairman of the
national committee being prominently
recognized by an administration which
he has helped to elect? The doctrine
of civil service reform would be out
ragged to the uttermost degree if the
chairman of any such committee should
ever receive any reward for his work.
If he fails to elect his candidate then he
is made the scapegoaJ to bear the bur-
den of this defeat.
The task from beginning to end is
thankless one. These chairmen have
plenty of notoriety, but never populari-
ty. They are hunted from morning to
night by men who want to dip their
hands into the committees treasury.
They have approach and leave their
committee headquarters by private
ways and have to live almost in hiding
to escape the swarm of bores and mendi-
cants. Then they have to submit to
people from whom there is no escape.
The political leaders of various COM
munities come to headquarters for the
purpose of advising the director-in-chief.
Sometimes he receives good suggestions,
but in the main this is only a waste of
time, and ordinarily such visits are used
as covers for demands upon the national
treasury.
The secretary of the committee is the
buffer to the chairman. His real duty
is to entertain all the men who come to
headquarters and to fight off as adroit-
ly as possible the swarm of people who
seek each day to capture the headquar-
tiers for purposes of their own.
One of the great elements of cost in
campaign is outside of any work of the
committees. This is in the check to
business during a presidential year.
Everything in a business way is in an
eXpectant state during a campaign.
The loss in this way would foot up many
millions. However, the best men of
both sides favor these great political
campaigns They say that it is a good
thing TO get the people away from bust
ness every once in four years and to
make them think of other things. In
no other way would ninety per cent of
our people learn anything about gov
eminent or administration affairs 1t
is four years school crowded into one
The outdoor meetings are healthful and
the parades are good forms of exercise.
All of the uproar and confusion do no
harm. The campaign unsettles moth
ing IN reality.