The Indianapolis journal., 1896-06-14
COST OF CONVENTIONS
A GREAT NATIONAL AssEMBLAGE IN
Wolves AN ENORMOUS OUTLAY.
Experienced Men Estimate that the st.
thing Like $4,OOO,0OO.


minded Americans have gathered them
selves together. Much Of this talk is remin-
iscent, and there is reason to believe that
If 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-
haps this week some of the mathematical
prophets will declare 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 in their pre-
dictions and their figures want employment
of congenial nature, they may find it in
making figures on the cost of such great
political gathering Assuredly they will find
these figures surprising.
This matter was brought up one day last
week in talk that was participated in by
Wilbur F. Wakeman, who has been close
student of conventions for the past six
teen years. Mr.. Wakeman thought the total
cost would not be much less than million
-.
twelve years, has been sergeant-at-arms of
the national committee. and who surely
ought to be able to make a reasonably ac-
curate jotting up of the expenses of con-
vention, was asked for an estimate.
First of ALL" said the Colonel, should
be counted the Straight expenses of the
convention, which will be borne by the Citi-
zens' League of st. Louis. These expenses
have sometimes been as low as $4,000, but
they amounted to about sl50,00O at Mime
apols, in 1892 and will be little, if any, be-
low 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
be useful for years to come, its erection is
rightly chargeabe to the convention of 1896.
Other bills to be footed by the Citizens
League will include the expenses of the
sergeant-at-arms of the convention, vari-
Gus printing accounts, the cleaning of the
hall each night, it's lighting in the evening,
fees for police and fire protection, big post
age bills, and thousand other things. The
expenses of the sergeant-at-arms alone will
be big though L should not like to make
an estimate. He has been in St. Louis some
time, and has had big staff of typewrit-
ers busy every day and far into the night.
They occupy an entire suite of rooms in one
of the big hotels and the Eck of their ma
chimes can be heard all over the house. But
the S1500OO to be expended by the Citi-
zens' League IS mere bagatelle compared
to the money that will be expended during
the convention week by the delegates and
others.
There will be nearly thousand dele
gates and as many alternates,' the Colonel
continued. Including the personal follow
ing OF delegates ana alternates, there
will be at least two thousand men
in ST. Louis during The convention
this week who will be directly inter-
ested. Add the assistant sergeants-at-
arms, the doorkeepers and messengers, in
all about a thousand, and the newspaper
correspondents and reporters, and the total
will be at least three thousand. Now, If
each one of these men spends 800 in addi-
ton to his railroad fare-and this is a very
small average-the total will be 100000. 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 news, the total expenses of the
| Citizens League and those directly inter-
ested will not be cent less than round
| half million of dollars .
A HUNDRED THOUSAND VISITORS.
THAT looks like good deal of money to
| be used UP in the expenses of national
| convention, doesn't it? But 1t is not the
| limit, by very large sum. The delegates,
| alternates and attendants at national
| convention form but a fraction of those
who are always present in convention city
| during the holding of its sessions. 1t is ex-
/ pected that, everybody included 100000
| strangers will go to ST. Louis this week,
4
| journs. Do you think 100000 large esti-
mate? Why one party of five hundred is
! going from New York alone. and from Mis-
| souri,, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Tennessee,
Kansas, Nebraska and other States nearby
| to ST. Louis there will be myriads almost.
| 1t is because of the money such a vast
| crowd of visitors will leave in town that the
| Citizens League can afford to put up so
| handsomely to get the convention. Just how
| much the visitors will spend it would be
impossible to estimate, but the amount that
| will go for railroad tickets alone will break
the back of three-quarters Of a million dol
| lars. and will probably exceed that big sum.
If each delegate were to spend IS in fare
and that is a low average. the total would
be $500 900, and this added to the half mil
lion already accounted for. foots up 81, 800.
600. Don't ask me to make any more esti-
mates" the speaker concluded. for the fig
| ures might pass belief
If the reader will continue the line Of fig.
| uring above laid down, he will find that
only a beginning of the total expenses due
TO the convention will be met by the s., ,300.-
600. 1t will be hard for those who go to ST
Louis this week to average a less expendi
ture than three dollars a day for keep an6
divers extras" Some. indeed, will gel
\ along with less, but many will spend q
good deal more At three dollars day fol
each man, the daily sum expended would
amount to 100000, and If the Convention
were to last a full week the total for main
y tenance would be brought up to a hundred
Thousand more than two millions of dollars
while the grand total so far accounted fo
would be So. 400. .o00 But even this. although
| IL includes much, does not take in such ex
penses as will be incurred at the differen
State headquarters. the cost of music at tn
various candidates headquarters, and s,
on Perhaps another hundred thou
sand dollars would cover 1t all
and then the total would amoun
to three and half millions-a very prett,
total. indeed. This is not all. however. 70
neither the expense Of sending the new
| from st. Louis to the thousands of daily pa
! pers in the various States. which must b.