The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-26
CONVENTION CITY BENEFITS.
More Pleasure Than Profit in Enter
tuininE statesmen.

By ordinary business calculation, Il
seems that the selection OF a city for the
holding Of a great national convention Ct
either political party is a matera al benefit
The number of delegates at a convention 5
double the number Of electoral votes.
which Is now Az, making the number Of
delegates Sg4 exclusive Of the repTese la
tives of the various Territories. VITA each
delegate there is an alternate. or about
/ tJ0 in all, and the addition Of national
committeeman and political leaders who
are not delegates, the friends Of candi-
dates, the advocates of special projects or
interests intended to be incorporated in the
platform adopted by the party. brings up
the total number Of active pafii iyants 20
5000. and there are usually as many more
persons in attendance, besides the rela-
tives and friends Of delegates and proMi5-
cuous enthusiasts This brings up tie
total number OF persons present at any
national convention to 5000, and the most
ordinary estimate of their average expen-
ditures is SO a day. No national con-
vention lasts less than two days. and i.
sometimes happens that the sessions are
prolonged during three CT four days aud
even longer. two days session would
therefore, represent to the city chosen
$4,000 OF expenditure, three days con-
yention SlS0.0G0. a four days convention
S24c, coo, and a five days convention $500
00O, exclusive of railway expenses. which
are not considered in the total, though
they are TO the benefit. OF course. of tae
lines carrying passengers to and taking
them from the convention city.
national convention represents. at
minimum figures, from 100000 to $4,000
in expenditure in the city in which it is
held and If there were no commen 5urate
outlays for this it would be easy to under
stand why some Of the smaller towns com
pete most actively for the choice which,
it is observable very few do, especially
after having had one convention. The rea-
son for this is that the OUTLAWS required
to secure the convention are very nearly
as large as the benefits accruing; that
while some branches OF business are bene-
fitted. the resulting disturbance OF trade is
an injury, and IL is. therefore. found that
a city in which the convention is held does
not usually appear as a candidate for like
recognition at the end of the ensuing four
years.
The statement is made that it cost
Minneapolis, one Of the smaller cities of
the country in respect to political in
portance S3S 900 in 1892 for the privilege
OF having the Republican National Con
ventiOn which renominated President Har
the accounts were balanced, OF St. Louis
in 1895 was So. GOO for the Republican Con
yentiOn. and this years guarantee in Phil
adcphia is 100000 the gUarantOrs stipu
lating not to pay that sum but to pro-
vide for the expenses Of the convention.
up to 800 600. not more. Usually. when a
city seeks designation as the place OF
holding a convention fund is raised. con-
tributed to chiefly by railway manager,
hotel proprietcrs. and car line directors. but
there is no practical way Of securing an
equitable division Of the returns. Thus,
one hotel Keeper who is a liberal con-
tribut0r to a guarantee fund may secure
little patronage from the convention dele
gates, whereas another, who is a small
contributor may find his house crowded
to repletiOn, and at much increased rates. /
Baltimore, which was for many years the
favOrite convention city of the country.
long ago abandoned any attempt TO OBJ
tain such honor for the reason that the
convention did not justify the outlay de-
manded to secure it. New York has had J
but one important National Convention, !
and has never seriously sought another /
One experience was sufficient fer Mime |
aPolis, and such thriving and accessible !
cities as Cleveland Detroit. and Louis !
vile have never made any effort for such |
on the ground that they do not /
require conventions and would have little /
to gain from them. Minor conventions, /
however, have. years ago. been held in /
Cleveland and Louisville. 1t is the big !
National Conventions which require-and |
often COSt-mOnnv.