Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-08

COST OF ONE CAMPAIGN.
Money That Was Spent During the Recent
Canvass i'm Michigan.
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH, Dec. 6, 1892.
The state election law requires all candidates
for office ina general election to file sworn state
ments OF the expenses incurred in the canvass
This provision il intended as a safeguard against
the improper use Of money. but as ii docs not
require an itemized account Of the expenditures
1t only partially answers the purpose intended.
According to the statements fled since election
the campaign cost the republican state central
committee an even $4,000 to carry things
through, the democratic state central COM
mittee expended SAG. 2ss 80, the populists g. 100
and the prohibitionists 81 500. None of these
statements are itemized, but the respective
chairmen make affidavit that none Of the money
went for purposes prohibited by law. The law
does not require that the sums Of revenue shall
be given, and none Of the committee have gone
any further into the particulars than necessity
demanded. 1t is known, however, that the
republican state central committee assessed the
candidates all the way from Ell 900 down. and
that the democrats did likewise. The repub
licans received 81. 600 from Gen. Alger, an equal
amount from Thos. w. Palmer, a good sized do
nation from Delos A. Blodgett and similar con-
tributions from other prominent and wel-to-do
members of the party. Senator Stockbridge Is
attributed with donation of IS, 900 and Sena-
tor Mcmillan a similar amount to start the cam
paiRn with. and the two Senators between them
made good all the deficiencies that occurred.
The republicans received very little, If any,
from the national committee. The democrats
also passed around the hat and among the gen.
erous contributors were Chairman Dan j. Cam
pau, Don NJ. Dickinson, W. r. Burt. E. F. Uhl,
Il NJ Wasfop White NJ RarDea and
W. R. Shelby. The democratic national COM
mittee was more generous than the republican
and o good-sized slice Of sinew was sent to
Michigan.
EXPENSES OF CANDIDATES.
The expenses of Gov.-elect John Rich footed
up sl.275; Judge A B. Morse, the democratic
candidate, 90, 100; J. ". Ewing, populist, $40,
and John RUSSELL prohibitionist, SIS. Attorney
General A. A. Ellis paid out 81 .057.83. and D.
J. Deekeina, bis defeated opponent, $500 Sec
rotary Of State-elect John W. Jochim invested
ss19 for the privilege Of holding for two years
an Office that has salary of only $500 attached.
Lieut. Gov.-elect J. Wight Giddings went
through the campaign on s425 and viii draw a
salary of 80 day while the legislature is in
session, and mere unless a vacancy should
occur in the executive chair. Ii cost Judge
Hooker s512.32 to be elected justice of the sn-
preme court, and his rival Judge Newton,
dropped about 5000. The expenses Of the
lican ticket ranged from S72 TO loo. The
expenses of the straight populist and prohibl-
zionist candidates run from SO to SO.
The congressional campaigns were Injuries
whether the candidates were elected or de
feated. They were called ON for contributions
to the county. legislative and congressional
funds and some of them were hit pretty hard.
Congressman-elect John W. Moon of the ninth
spent g. 0S5 and H. II. Wheeler his opponent.
spent $500 Congressman German of the sec
Ond paid S1.215.50 for reelection and Con-
gresham o Donnell, who ran against him and
was defeated, paid out S970.6S Congressman
Wea6ock Of the eighth spent So03.22 for de-
feat Congressman Belknap spent S754.SS and
George +. Richardson. his opponent. s367.30.
and a recount Of the ballots is now being made
to determine who is the winner. Congressman
elect II. F. Thomas of the fourth paid out
S1,lS70l against George l.. Yapie's s7l2. Con-
gresham Burrows got off cheaper, his dis
trict is naturally Overwhelmingly republican.
The legislative and senatorial candidates
spent from 50 to $3.50. depending upon the
locality and the strength of the opposition. In
this city the expenses reached high $40,
and in Detroit they went still higher, while in
the rural districts the cost dropped down within
easy reach. The pay of member Of the legis-
lature is 80 dav and mileage, and IN some
instances it will require two or three months of
steady law making to come out even.
The law also includes the county campaigns
In this county the democrats spent s2,l99.49.
the republicans S2.5i5.92 and the populists
S246.9 80. Most of this money was received from
assessments upon the candidates. The largest
individual expense Sheriff John Mcqueen,
defeated. SLIPS, and the smallest 81. S.
In Detroit the expenses reached a considerably
higher figure and in the rural communities
they ranged considerably lower. Many of
the populists and prohibition candidates made
the run without spending cent or losing
day work.
TO AMEND THE LAW.
The election law will undoubtedly be amended
in various ways by the next legislature. The
expense provision will be 50 changed as to re-
quIre an itemized statement Of exp rses and
there is a strong sentiment in favor of knowing
where the money. comes from. AS the law is
today each polling place has but one set of in
spectors, who receive the ballots all day and
then count them. This system is Objectionable
because Of the delay in learning the results and
the law will probably be changed to provide for
relays Of inspectors that the count will be
completed within an hour OF the time the polls
close. Tho inspectors now are not obliged to
make returns until the week following election,
and in the recent contest suspicious were
aroused by delays, especially when the election
was close. The Law will be amended to require
the inspectors to make special returns within
twenty -four or thirty-sx hours after the polls
close The salient features of the law as it
stands, however, will be preserved, as the Aus
tralian system, with its booths, blanket ballots
and secrecy, is very generally approved.
The law relating to primaries and conven-
tons will probably be materially changed for
the purpose Of throwing additional safeguards
around the election preliminaries. There is moth
ing in the law today to prevent a candidate for
ofice-packng caucuses and conventions in his
own interest and that was done in several quar-
tiers in the state last summer. In Detroit and
here some Of the conventions were absolutely
disreputable. The Australian ballot law has
disposed of the strikers and heelers on election
day, but these gentry have full swing in the
caucuses and conventions and mercilessly bleed
the candidates. The demand for greater safe
guards in the primaries has become urgent, and
the next legislature will be asked to devise
some method Of meeting the evil.
~
Maryland Good Roads Convention.
A convention looking to the improvement of
the roads in Maryland will be held on January
II. Representatives from all farmers associa-
tons, mercantile bodies, road improvement
societies, educational institutions and the
Maryland Division of the League of American
Wheelmen, with oil others interested in good
roads, have been invited to attend the con-
vcntion.
1t is proposed to invite prominent men to
make short speeches on road improvement,
among whom will be Prof. Shaler Of Harvard,
Mr.. Chauncey b. Ripley of New Jersey, VIM.