The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-11-07
EXPENSES OF CAMPAIGNS.
What the Cry of the Democrats About Money
Really Means-Growth of Expenses


New York Correspondence Philadelphia Press.
Horace Greeley used to soy that the ex-
penditure Of money in political canvasses
was not great evil, provided, of course.
the money was not used to corrupt voters
or steal elections. He thought that the
turmoil. and agitation. and healthy confu-
sion which prevailed during the national
canvasses prevented stagnation. and he
was fond of saving: "The more money you
have the livelier your canvass Will be-"
In Greeley's day, of course, no such sums
were raised as the managers of the last
three or four campaigns have had, yet old
campaigners say that the presidential
electors OF 1884 and 1888 were, on the whole.
freer from improper use of money than
many local elections in small towns have
been in the same time. There has been more
tendency TO use money dishonesty in some
local elections than has been the case In
national elections. at least recently.
When it IS learned that it will probably
cost $3.50, 600 to pay for the printing. post
age, as we'll as the preparation of the cam
paign literature issued from Republican
headquarters, it Is easy to understand one
of the reasons for the enormous increase in
cost of elections The national committee
the services of speakers and their travel
ing expenses and probably S150.000 will be
we'll within the figure of cost for the or
ganiZation and maintenance OF campaign
clubs, room rent. banners and things of
that sort.
One of the men who is engaged in the
business of furnishing campaign uniforms,
torches, banners and other things OF that
sort, said to-day that he presumed as much
as S2.000.000 would be expended for this
kind of campaign ammunition designed to
stimulate the eye and kindle enthusiasm.
The expenses made necessary to secure
registration of voters have enormously IN
creased in this State. In fact, Outside
New York city and one or two other large
cities. registration Is a comparatively new
element of election times. 1t will cost the
Republicans SEQ. 900 or 100000 to get its
voters registered. and to get its voters out
on election day.
Exaggerated stories have been told about
the amount of money the campaign COM
mittee has received. Mr.. Cleveland saw
fit to Willy the entire Republican party
and to smirch the reputation of many
Democrats by intimating that the Repub-
licans had changed popular elections so that
they are now making of them auction
shops. and yet everyone knows that In this
State and in fact in all the States where
the Australian ballot prevails. the pur-
chase of votes is q thing of the past, If 1T
ever occurred.
In 1850 Mr.. james TerwillIger was secre
tary of the national Republican committee.
as he was again in 1864. He spoke day or
two ago of the Increase In campaign sub
scriptions but he spoke of it as q natural
thing. In ls6O the national committee re-
ceived. all told. only $4,000, and with this
sum il managed the campaign which over.
threw the Democracy and made Abraham
Lincoln President.
Governor Morgan was chairman of the
committee. After the election was over
and the accounts figured up it was found
fhor fhnra dofn ,f md r a
suggestion was made that q subscription
paper be passed around among the Repub-
licans of New York, SO that this sum might
be raised. Governor Morgan was asked to
head It. He looked at 1t for q moment,
pursed his lips musinGly, and then said:
1T isn't worth while to take two bites at a
cherry; will take care of this myself" end
be wrote out his check for $1,000 upon the
spot
Mr.. Terwilliger says that at that time the
national campaign committees acted more
as an advisory than an executive body.
The chief part of the work was done by
the State committees. The tendency to
give greater power TO national committees
was due to the efforts of August Belmont.
and to some extent to those of Samuel j.
Tilden, and the first attempt to raise
great fortune for the use of the national
committee was made at the suggestion of
Mr.. Tilden himself.
If there is anything of reproach to be ut
tered on account of this development of
national campaigning the responsibility
should be laid upon Mr.. TiIden and those
associated with him In the campaign of
1876.
1t was at that time that national commit.
tees took upon themselves greater powers
than they had had before. They usurped
the duties OF State committees TO consid-
cradle extent then, and this tendency has
been going on until now the national COIN
mittees of both parties are supreme and
State committees are regarded as merely
auxlliaries.
TWAS Tilden who set the example of Gre
ating great literary bureaus, and that one
which he had about him IN 1876 was said to
have expended over 100000. Campaign
ing then began to take on more of tho
thOr0ughness of discipline characteristic
of the management of corporations than is
ever had before. Campaign headquarters
became great offices like those Of @ cor.
poration. The business done in them ex-
ceeded that of many banks. and something
like the functions of O bank cashier have
been made necessary, so that each of the
campaign committees has such officer now
One of them has gone even further. and
employs an auditor. who scrutinlZes all
accounts and checks them.
Little difference is to be observed in the
methods of the two committees in this re.
spect They beg money In the same way,
they charge 1t ND on the books in the same
way, and. In the main. the expenditures
arc for similar purposes. The Republican
national committee. from all can hear, has
received something like $1,000 600. and in
its estimate of expenses only set the figure
at about two hundred Thousand dollars
more than this. The Democratic committee
has received about eight hundred thousand
dollars. and it wanted 81 .500, 000 or exactly
the sum that the Republican national COM
mittee hoped to secure. Therefore. the only
difference between the two committees in
respect TO this money matter is that the
Republicans have received a little larger
subscriptions.
For this reason the unusual outburst be-
gun in the local press and conspicuously
IN that one of the local newspapers which
started out to raise a campaign fund to be
expended in the interests of the Democratic
party in the Northwest. and which has
been echoed by Mr.. Cleveland, is certainly
suggestive of hypocritical impulse. The
outburst cannot be explained by those " no
know for what purpose the money raised
by both sides is 10 DO used except on the
ground that Democratic defeat is to be APP
pretended and that these utterances and
dieCal wailtnps IN designed IN apoloOiya