Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1896-11-26
How the Money Was Contrib
uted For Campaign
Purposes.
Not Less Than $16,OOO,OOO
Turned in to Hanna-TwO
Millions Left.
With Which to Establish a
Permanent Political
Headquarters.

open S6Cr0L on wall StFooC tuaI Guo lhIR-
est individual subscriber to the repub-
lican national committee was William X.
Vanderbilt. who sent bis personal check
for $25O.0OO to the national committee.
This is not only the largest sum con-
tributed by any one in the late campaign
but it is undoubtedly larger amount of
| money than was ever before given by
any individual in any political campaign
IN the world (:
Friends of Hanna regret that this con.
tr1bution from the Vanderbilts has be-
come known, and are now saying it was
voluntary gift to the campaign, and
was not solicited by Hanna.
One Of the next largest subscriptions
to the republican campaign fund was
made by the Pennsylvania railroad.
President Roberts and First Vice Presi-
dent Thompson of the Pennsylvania
railroad we're the ostensible donors, but
this contribution came from the Wander
bilt interests. The donation by Wander.
bit may be called personal one; that
by the Pennsylvania railroad contribu-
ton from his business interests.
In this connection it may be of passing
interest to add that Cornelius Wander
bllt gave $4,000 to the committee also
''personal contribution"
The largest bank subscription was that
of a purely savings anu benevolent asso-
citation, the Philadelphia Savings Fund,
whose directors voted $25, 900 ITO protect
their $4,000 deposltors from loss OF their
savings"
John Wanamaker gave SlO,OOO-ex-
actlv the same eum he contributed IN
| 1883 as chairman Of the committee which
raised 100000 in Philadelphia alone.
Hanna's clam that it cost him only
| $1,4OO,UOO to win the election is exposed
by facts now coming to light, and figures
that show that his fund amounted to
| $l6,00O,O00.
/ This Is four times the sum usually
spent by national committees during q
presidential election, and not partlcu-
| larly large when it is considered that all
the financial institutions, railroad com
panies, mercantile establishments. pro-
tected Industries and wealth in general
were opposed to the democratic ticket
and anxious for the success OF the repub-
lican.
Ia addition to the Vanderbilt contribu-
tion it IS now known that Perry Bel
mont, who married Vanderbilt's divorced
wife, gave $4,000 and would like to be
am bassador to Germany.
j. Plerpont Morgan & Co., coLtrl-
buted 100000, that sum representing
less than per cent OF its profits on the
recent bond deal.
Relative to Connecticut, ex-Governor
Morgan B. Burkeley declared, prior to
the election, that he had obtained the
million dollars he was expected to col
lect. His statement was printed in Con
necticut newspapers at the time.
Pennsylvania had for its collecting
agents such successful managers as Sen
ator Quay, Andrew Carnegie and Fl. G.
Frick. The venerable Coils P. Hunt
ington acted for many of the western
states, while Mr.. Hanna himself looked
out for Ohio, anu Henry Cabot Lodge
for Massachusetts and The rest of New
England.
The immense sum thus collected has
not all been expended. There is a sur
plus of about 100000. 1t is because
of this surplus taat the national com
mlttee continues in permanent head
quarters with an expensive staff. 1t is
the first national committee that ever
wound up the campaign with something
left over, and for the reason that there
was no way to spend it all.
One of the heaviest donations, if not
the heaviest, came directly from the big
life insurance companies, but as n mat
ter OF fact 1t came Indirectly out of the
pockets of those poor policy holders,
who the companies were so afraid they
would have to pay off at SO cents on the
dallar.