The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-02
COST OF THE ELECTION
LEGAL EXPENSES FOR GREATER
NEW YORK ESTIMATED AT $500, 900.
The Several Parties VIII Expend over
MilliOn-COst to the 1000 Cam
didates-Voters' Outlay.
New York Commercial Advertiser.


reins of municipal government. is at hand.
the tickets will know their fate. The con-
test has been fierce one, and now that the
end is in sight it is not without interest to
examine one important element in the cam
paign-one that, 1t is to be feared, exercises
considerably greater influence over elections
than it should do-money.
That the cost of elections is a serious evil
has long been acknowledged, and from time
to time legislation has been enacted to di-
minish the expense Although this has
doubtless purified the expenditure some
what it has had little or no effect in di-
minishing it. Notwithstanding the assertion
that the lavish expenditure of the present
day is not to be compared with that of the
so-called good old times when elections
were something like elections and a king s
ransom was spent where few thousand
dollars are now expended, there is no deny
ing that elections are still ruinously expen-
sive and wastefully extravagant.
Few persons have an idea of the gross ag-
gregate and average expenditure per candi-
date at an election. The expenses of the
various candidates, as given by them, are
published, but the amount published does
not represent anything like the sum actu-
ally paid out. In some cases the amounts
put down are inaccurate plainly. In few
cases is any return made of personal ex-
penses, and it is a manifest absurdity to
imagine that a contested election could be
fought without any personal expenses on
either side.
An analysis of figures brings out some
startling facts as to the amount of money
expended in a close campaign like the one
which is coming to all end in this CITY, The
first thing to be looked at is that part or the
expense which is recognized as legal ana
which is saddled upon the taxpayers. New
ork, as it stands to-day, is divided into
SS3 electoral districts, Kings county in OLD,
Queens county 1T and Richmond county Az
AS the law provides eight officers FOR eac a
of these districts, there is total Oh Hoz -
election officers, all of whorn are paid out
of the public funds. The salaries OF these
functionaries absorb about $124,55O Inc
other items paid for by the taxpayers are
the rental of polling stations-$5O each is al
lowed-the printing or ballots, the erectlon
and taking down polling booths, repairs 10
polling booths and ballot boxes, purchase
OF ballot boxes election supplies, Such as
stationery, etc.. sending out notices supply
ing examination papers ana various o i,tcls
for Greater New York, as estimated Dy ON.
cials in charge of the various bureaus OF
election, is about SOOOO
EXTRA LEGAL EXPENSES.
Next to these legal expenses come what
might be termed extra legal expenditures
sums disbursed by the party organizations
and independent candidates in legitimate
expenses. such as the printing Of campaign
literature hiring of halls and campaign
speakers and the payment of the expenses
of the latter, purchase of banners and
torches, advertising and allowances to each
Assembly district for the employment OF
watchers, ETC., and the payment OF Incl
dentals" Competent observers estimate
that for these purposes Tammany HAL mas
expended during this campaign at leaSI
$4,000 the Republican party about $2OO-
600, the Citizens Union $25OOeO. the George
adherents about 5000. the Battle Axe
Gleason brigade about $780, and the Day
ton forces about $1,000
Tn addition to these legal and extra legal
expenditures are the sums expended per
sonally by the candidates and their friends.
For the approaching election In greater
New York about one thousand candidates
are in the field. Each one has spent in IN
dividual expenses sums ranging from Few
dollars up to thousands. The most remark
able thing about election expenses is their
habit of growing and growing, no matter
how limited at the beginning. The candl-
date fears to be mean, for II ne appears
to regard his pocket he endangers his
chances of success. In the excitement or a
contest many expenses, which at other
times would seem quite unnecessary ap-
pear essential if not to the candidate to his
friends and campaign managers.
1.-The other side is doing this. You must
do the same" is the cry.
And so the opponents go on Tightening
each others pocketbooks by mad competi-
tion to the delight of the men who look
forward with keen interest to an election
as the time when they may turn an honest
penny" Those men have not the least re-
gard for the candidate. Their motto is
make hay while the Shines" OF
course every fresh expense is always for
the one thing needful and is to be the last
outlay, but it is certain to be followed
by others and the poor candidate is treated
to more last appearances than the most
hardened theatrical star ever dared TO con-
template. If successful he counts the cost
a small matter, but If defeated he is apt to
look at matters in a different light, as soon
as he RECEIVERS from the excitement con-
sequent upon the campaign The van
pushed one can always cling, however, to
the consolatory motto, Defeated, not dis
graced," and try again next time If he
thinks the game worth the candle.
OVER $2,OOO,0OO.
Takine, in consideration everything it is
estimated that the coming election will cost
considerably over $2,OOO,OOO, exclusive of the
indirect cost arising from arrangement of
business and the expenditures of the pri-
vate citizens during the saturnalia which is
held invariably on election day and night.
1t may be objected that this is a mere
guess and that there are no authentic re-
turns by which it can be checked. This is
true, and until the political parties take the
public into their confidence and publish
their accounts the extent of the expendi-
ture must remain more or less a secret. 3
But how is this enormous fund raised?
The chief source of revenue is the assess
ment of office seekers and officeholders.
Tammany has elevated this business to a
fine art almost. For years it had a regular
scale of prices for nominations. 1t has
been said that it secured as much as $50 900
on one occasion for the nomination for a
judicial post, and it is asserted that this
year Colonel Jacob RUPERT Jr, was asked
to contribute $4,000 before the nomination
for president of the Council. When he de-
clned Tammany announced that he had
withdrawn for business reasons The
regular scale price for judicial nominal
ton on the Tammany ticket is reported to
be from $4,000 to $1,000. From patriot
who would serve his country as sheriff Tam
many it is understood, requires, now that
il is a fee office, worth from $4,000 to
$100,000 a year, modest sum or SoOOOO or
$50 co., and from the citizen who aspires to
the Office of mayor about $4,000.
But it happens sometimes that poor man
is most suitable for Tammany as mayor.
In this case no large assessment is levied,
but he is given to understand distinctly that
If he is elected Tammany Will require him
to repay it by granting every favor it asks.
For the nomination for member of the AS
sembly or State Senate Tammany is willing
to accept anything from $500 up. All moneys
for nominations, Tammany insists, shall be
paid into the wigwam war chest, as a con-
dition sine qua non of the support of the
organization
Altogether the collections made by Tam
many in ordinary year foot up TO about
S3G0 COO This year, Notwithstanding the fact
that it is one year further from the pie.
and that Tammany men are poor from the