The morning times., 1896-06-14
Copyright. 1860

Convention talk is in order these days,
whenever and wherever a group of healthy
minded Americans have gathered them
selves together. Much of this talk is remin-
iscent, and there is reason to believe that
II all the lately told stories OF thrilling con
vention scenes were written out and put
in book form, the volumes would exceed in
number those of the famous AleXandrian
library. Still more of the current talk is
of the mathematical variety; and, naturally,
this is not unmixed with prophecy. Per
baps next week some of the mathematical
prophets will declare that they have never
studied arithmetic and that predictions are
only vanity, but the story tellers will have
more material than ever, since another ma
tiOnal convention Will then have passed into
history. If the mathematical prophets who
find themselves mistaken i'm their predic-
tions and their figures want employment of
congenial nature, they may find IL III max
Ing figures on the cost of such a great no
htical gathering. Assuredly they Will lind
these figures surprising.
This matter was brought up one day last
week in a talk that was participated in by
Wilbur F. Wakeman, who has been close
student of conventions for the past sixteen
years. Mr. wakeman thought the total cost
would not be much less than a million dol
lars. Later, Col. Harry Swords. who for
twenty years has been sergeant-at-armso OF
ought TO be able to make a reasonably &C
curate footing up of the expenses Of a con-
veution, was asked for an estimate.
SOME SURPRISING CALCULATIONS.
First of ALL" said the colonel, "shoul-i
be counted the straight expenses of the
convention, which Will be borne by the
Citizens League of st. Louis. These ex-
pcnses have sometimes been as low as
$4,000, but they amounted TO about Sloo,-
600 i'll Minneapolis in 1892. and VIII be lit
tie. if any, below that figure at st. Louis.
The cost of the hall alone Will be not far
from $4,000, and, although the structure
will remain and he useful for years to come.
its erection is rightly chargeable to the
convention of 1896. Other bills to be foot
ed by the Citizens League will include
the expenses of the sergeant-at-arms OF
the convention. various printing accounts.
the cleaning of the hall ca oh night. It's light
ing in the evening. fees for police and fire
protection. big postage bills and thou
sand other things. The expenses OF the
sergeant alarms alone will be big. though
l should not like 10 make an estimate. lie
has been in st. Louis some time and has
had big staff of typcwriters busy every
day and ia r into the night. They occupy
an entire suite of rooms in one of the big
hotels. and the click of their machines can
be hea rd all over the house. But the Sl5O.-
600 to be expended by the Citizens League
is mere baga telle compared to the money
that will be expended during the contention
week by the delgates and Others
There will be nearly thousand dele
gates and as many alternates,' the colonel
continued Including the personal fol-
lowing of delegates and alterDates, there
will be at least 1000 men in st. Louis
during the convention next week who will
be directly interested. Add the assistant
sergeants-at-arms, the doorkeepers and the
messengers, in all about thousand, and the
Newspaper correspondents and reporters,
and the total will be at least 5000. Now.
IT. each one of these men spends 500 in ad-
tiition to his railroad fare and this is a very
small average-tbe total will be $500, 900.
If you add to this the expenses that will
be borne by the telegraph companies and
the big press associations in getting ready
to spread the ews, the total expenses OF
the Citizens League and those directly
Interested will not be cent less than
round half-nilliou Of dollars.
THAT looks like a good deal of money
to be used up in the expenses of national