The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-08-02
The Chairman Of = National Committee
Hss Anything but y Pleasant job
and Gets no Reward.
Written for THE HELENA INDErENDENT.l

I have bsens Through three or four pres1
dental campaigns. and in those campaign
have learned enough to make a just esti
mate concerning the amount Of money EN-
ployed on both sides. In one or two IN
stances the figures l give are praet'eaIl!
Official, In 1850 the national committee o
the republican party received IN the way O
subscriptions some $450,00O. This money
was disbursed through the chairmanshlp O.
Marshall Jewell, the former postmastel
general OF Con. Grant. In the campaign
of 1884 some $500,00o was raised. b. +
Jones, Of Pittshurg. YVES the chairman o.
the com mittee that collected the money
and spent il. In 1888 Senator Quay hal
the disbursement Of some $SOO,Ooo. This
was the largest sum ever raised and spent
BY a national committee.
In each ons of the years above named the
democrats had about the same amount o.
money. In 1850 and 1884 they had An equaY
amount. It can be said generally in every
presidential campaign tn at the democrats
raise as much money as the republicans.
In the year 1883 they had perhaps $1,000 N
less. The two committees disbursed i'll the
last campaign over a million and n half OF
dollars. Some of the democratic subscrip-
tions came from individuals rather than
corporations. One democratic leader, a
very rich man. told me personally that he
contributed TO the campaign fund III 1883
She sum of $3.50. GOO.
It is said by those who are experienced in
such matters that it is always easier to
raise money for the party which is out than
for the party which is in. This may ac-
count for the deficiency in the democratic
treasury in the year 1883.
For what purpcs Sc are these vast sums
Ar,r}oua6 ? y rrnrarlv ha oaEpH haya
never seen any evidences or heard any res
. pOnsible person directly charge that the
chairman of the national committee of
either party ever authorized the use of this
money for the purpose Of purchasing votes.
] know it has often been charged in partisan
speeches and in the heat of the campaign,
but | have never seen any one who possessed
reliable information who was willing to
Hfflrm the correctness of such charges.
Something of an idea of where the money
goes can be obtained by running over the
disbursements of the national republican
committee in 1885. In his year 800. 900
.W%os-spent III directing documents and cir
culating them. Another 800, 600 was spent
on speakers and their expenses. In the d.
rection Of congressional contests 500. 900
more was disbursed. Whsrever q oongres-
sional district was close money would be
sent to the republican candidate to be used
for legitimate campaign purposes. Those
campaign expenses comprise the hiring Of
bands, the furnishing of uniforms to So
cleties. the paying OF the cost of parades
and other things of a like character. Some
$500, 600 more was disbursed in close states
lik New Jersey, Indiana, Connecticut and
New York. About $20O.0N0 was spent at
the national headquarters for maintaining
that office in irst class style and deftaving
the cost of the campaign in the city of New
York. A great nan of the parades and
professions in New York are arranged and
vnRarora Iu tho <wn national ron, m lffana
It is an element in the campaign which
really counts for very little. or course a.
an evidence of enthusiasm and interest
such parades have no value unless they are
the result of a spontaneous feeling of in
terest among party followers. Such par
AIDES, however, cost money, and whore the
enthusiasm is not sufficient to raise all the
money required the national committe gen
srally comes to the rescue.
In the main, however. too much money
10 spent on documents. Elaborate docu-
ments are printed and sent out by the ear
load to various sections OF the country.
The personal vanity of senators and mem
bers of congress- has a good dealt do with
swelling the bulk of these publications. A
senator or member of congress will often
make a speech III congreas for the purpose
of influencing the campaign. He will then
come to the national committee afterward
and ask to have this speech circulated ~
one of the committees documents. This
request 10 nearly always accsded to to
please the member.
1t is net customary to pay speakers for
their services in the campaign. 1t is usual,
however, so 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 in
stance the payment becomes known and it
has a bad effect. A man who talks for his
N,opkvl anorua he - " o11 <r do - ~--,
simply the position Of a special ploader.
and his remarks have no influence if the
fact of such employment ls known.
The campaign Of this year will be practi- |
oally fought upon the same lines az the one
of four years sGo. AS each year shows an
it is estimated now that million of dollars
will be needed by each side for campaign
purposes. Ihe battle this wear will be
largely between two business organizations
represented by the two committees. Il ID
probable that the spirit of the Indiana
management which was SO direct and sue
oessful in Minneapolis will control the re-
publican national committee. even with
MIR. Carter, of Montana, as chairman. IL
will be remembered that Gen. Micheuer.
who had charge of the Indiana delegation
has often been mentioned in connection
with the coming campaign. lie 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, whoever NAV be
chairman of the committee, tho directiup
mind will be that of W. G.. whitney. Mi
Whitney is Il man Of great reserve power,
possessed OF a thorough knowledge Of tho
world and one of the most adroit of poli,i.
cal managers. lie knows the value of
coaxinR instead of driving. He has unlim-
ited resources at his command, and SO
there Is no reason to suppose that tho dem-
ocrats will be any less provided with money
than the republicans. Thus it NAV be
accepted in advance that it ia to be a tiQht
of western management. with the president
Rs Il directing force behind it, against cast
ern management. with Mr.. Whitney at
the helm. 1t will be u war Of q republican
million against Il democratic million.
The mone raised by tho national COM
mittees does not represent ali the MONEYS
employed in a presidential campaign. The
various state committees raige money, but
nothing like the mounts collected by tho
national committees. 1t is estimated. how
ever. that there ID about a quarter as much
raised by them. The state committees are
always held up to do all that they can, and
in the richer states the national committee
nearly always refuses to come to tho relief
OF state organizations unless there is an
absolute necessity.
The funds collected by the national COM
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