Mexico weekly ledger., 1899-11-02
IN ' OF
Congressman Champ Clark Says They
are Lea Expensive Thah Conven-
tons-A Few Figures


Thursday IN the city and departed
yesterday morning for Kentucky,
where be le billed to make speeches
for The regular Democratic nominees
next week. Speaking Of the move to
change the method OF nominating
candidates for state Offices from a dele
gate convention to a state primary, be
said.
some argument against the primary
urged by some IL the greater expense.
This argument is moi tenable-that IL,
II my own experience is a fair sample.
! have tried both plans, and speak
from positive knowledge. I hereby
give my expenses In the primaries Of
fs9s and 1888, from worn statements,
and u 10 the expenses Of Ise2, when
we had q convention, will content my
aes.s, ~ ;east, by stating that the ak
renses Of that campaign far exceeded
those Of both the primary Of 1895 and
OF 1895
"The Ninth District runs from Han
nibal TO tie ozRrks, and is composed
Of nine couniies-Rsls, Audrain, Pike,
Montgomery, Lincoln, Warren, 81.
Charles, Gasconade and Crawford.
In 1895 ! was the sole candidate, and
paid all the expenses Of the primary.
In Rails, AEdrain, Pike and Lincoln,
county primaries were held the same
day, and / merely paid in those conn
ties for having nay name placed on
county tickets.
SIN the other five counties, there
was no county primary, and / paid
the entire expense. The total in the
district was $50, itemized as follows:
For placing name on ticket in
Audrain Co, paid to J.J.Steeles15 90
For same in Lincoln Co., paid
to W. s. Bragg.............. Is 90
For same in Rails Co., paid to
G.. 7. FinegRn 5 90
For poll books and tally sheets
paid to Standard Print. Co.,. % 90
For tickets, paid to W. F. May
hall, Bowling Green.......... so
For tickets,paid to NV. Dickey,
Wentzville.. ...... . 2 30
Paid to v. Mcshane, Warrenton,
for polling places. IA 90
Total. .,-..... $3.50
'In 1889 ! was again the sole can-
didate for Congress. County prima-
ries were held on the same day In
Rails, Audrain, Lincoln and Pike. In
Montgomery, Warren and st. Charles
primaries e held the same day
for Congressman and Circuit Judge.
In these three counties Judge e. M.
Hughes, Frank jesse and myself paid
all the expenses in equal parts. In
GasconAde and Crawford ] paid all
the expenses. My entire expense in
1895, was exclusive OF announcements
In newspapers, $1,000, itemized as
follows:
To W. l.. Gupton, chairman, for
poll books, tally sheets etc,
Montgomery City .ss5 90
To A. J. Winscott, Secretary
County Committee, Mexico. IS 90
To T. II. Hammons, Chairman
County Committee, Troy. :. is 90
To W. II. Campbell, Secretary
County Committee, Bowling
Green ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 10 90
To @. 7. Finegan, Secretary
County Committee, New Lon
3 90
To A. J. Slack, editor, tickets,
SteeiVille. -............ .... B 90
To ]. E. Hollow, tickets, Cuba. 8 80
lUtal- ..s.+... ...r.-+sSl0o.S W
After the double : headed conven-
ton of 1892 at Montgomery City, in
which R. II. Norton and / were both
nominated, the State Committee took
the matter in hand, ordered a pri-
mary and assessed each Of us $500 to
pay expenses. They gave us back
about $40 each-a little more or q
little less-thus reducing the total
cost to about $500. At that time 1t
vas 3 comparatively new thing TO
hold congressional primaries in Mis-
s0uri, and altogether new in the
Ninth District. We know now more
shout the business, and it would not
cost 90 much as them