The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-08-28
PRICE OF THE PRESIDENCY.

From the Chicago Times-Herald.
Time was when a presidential election
| was decided on some great question or
| principle or theory of government on
which the people were honestly divided
in opinion, or upon varying estimates OF
the character, ability and patriotism OF
the respective candidates. A moderate
! expenditure was necessary to put the
| nominee fairly before the people. but no.
body eyer stopped to think whether an
aspirant for the nomination was rich
| enough or had friends wealthy enough to
put up half a million dollars or more on
| the presumption that the office will go to
the highest bidder and that the opposition
will put up at least that much. The
money required to elect any president
from George Washington to Y. s. Grant
would not be enough nowadays to carry a
| congressional district, no, not even to
carry q ward In some OF our big cities
william Waldorf Astor spent as much
money as General Washington was worth
| in an unsuccessful attempt to win a seat
In congress from New York. and Cover
nor Flower, who defeated him, spent n
small fortune In the effort. Many con-
gressmen spend their salary for the term
ten thousand dollars-in making their
calling and election sure. and senatOrships
have sold as high as half million dollars.
For n presidency. then, million must be
in sight.
For what? OF course there are legiti-
mate expenses, and they are not SMALL
but they canot reach any such figure.
Tickets must be printed when. as Is not
often the case now, the state does not
provide them. There must be a distribu-
ton of documents. Halls must be hired .
bands OF music engaged, banners painted,
and there are numberless items coming
under the head Of advertising. But these
things are usually cared for by local COM
mjttees. Public speakers are necessary,
and so long as men Of the Carl Schurz type
take that view Of the case they must be
paid for. but with so much Oratorlcal
ability available and with so many we'll
equipped speakers as candidates for the
minor offices. they ought to be within
reach for the good of the cause or at
most for their travelling expenses. Allow
a good deal more for sundrics and still
the question Is unanswered--for what?
-.ll:-
Why was II that when Hancock. n poor
man. was nominated for president the
second place on the ticket had to be sold
for 100000 to m!serly 1ndianian. who
afterward repud;ated the contract and
had to be taken literally by the throat by
Democratic committee. to secure payment
of the price? Why was II that when Gar
field was nominated. Arthur. with his
backing Of rich New York friends. had to
the case that Arthur. then unknown ex-
cept to politicians. and to them only as a
spokesman. afterward made one Of the
best Of presidents. Why was It that
Morton, who also turned out well, was
tackled on to Harrison In 1888. that Harrison
was charged with falling to milk his rich
friends, that Morton's one hundred
thousand was not enough, and that ac-
cording to credible testimony Chairman
Quay had to fry the eastern manufacture
ers In the fat of their own wealth In order
to raise several hundred thousand dollars
more? For what?
--:ll:-
Why was It that 81. O00.0 had to be
spent for Tilden to secure a, nomination
and claim an election? He Was the last
man In the world to buy q pig in q bag,
and yet ne thought he was buying some
thing and actually put up q quarter Of q
million out Of his own pocket. Why was
It necessary to levy assessments to the
extent OF hundreds Of thousands Of dollars
on New York importers to make Cieve-
land president the first time? and why in
addition to supplies from the same source
and the contribution Of q mammoth cor
poration gridironing large cities, was Il
necessary for William c. whitney to chip
IN . quarter Of . million on his own ac-
count to give the same upright man re-
election? All this big monsy-for what?