Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-10-11
COST OF REPUBLICAN VOTES.
The Outlook Good for the Election
of Democratic Congressmen.
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WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct. 10.-The
assessment of the Republicans for ma
tional campaign purposes aggregates the
sum of thirty million dollars. This IS
the statement as it has been made Dy
both Democratic and Independent pa
pers, and it has not yet been denied.
1t is also the statement reported to have
been made by a Republican In Chi
cago after Hanna's conference there.
The Republicans hope to obtain a lit
tie over seven million votes in order
to re-elect President Mckinley. This
makes the national campaign fund av-
erage four dollars for every Republican
vote cast. 1t is known that the expenses
OF the Republican national committee
in 1896 averaged two dollars and half
for each Republican vote cast. The ex-
pense of each Republican vote in 1888
was only one dollar. The Democratic
committee had the largest fund IN
1892 that it mas ever had and expend-
ed that year twenty cents for each vote
cast. In 1896 the Democratic national
committee expended less than five
cents per Democratic vote. In 1900 the
Democratic committee will be satisfied
with fifteen cents expenditure for each
vote, while twenty-five cents would
insure the election of Bryan by a ire
mendous majority. The Republican
campaign contributions are given in
large amounts, while the Democratic
campaign contributions are all in
small sums. The Republicans are COM
PEELED, in order to obtain the contribu-
ton, to dispose of the leading officers
and to promise legislation which will
reimburse the contributors and afford
them handsome profits. 1t is abso-
lutely necessary for the Republican
party to carry both the legislative and
executive branches of the Government
in order to continue existence. The cost
Of obtaining Republican votes has be-
come so enormous that it is no longer
easy for the Republican managers to
raise the immense sums necessary to
carry the country. If the Republicans
lose Congress or the Executive at the
coming election. it will be impossible
for them to carry out their campaign
promises or reimburse those who have
invested these large sums of money in
the campaign. Ii the next Congress
is Democratic or the Executive is Dem
ocratic at the next election, the Re-
publican party will be without large
funds, and have to rely upon small
contributions. AS it requires an aver
age Of four dollars for each Republican
vote, it can readily be seen that when
money is no longer forthcoming with
which to corrupt the ballot-box, the
Republican party will go out of exist
ence in its present form. 1t will have
to change its form, although probably
not its name, and the people will then
divide upon questions of principle anc
policy. The Republican leaders are fully
aware of the fact that when the people
do thus divide, the United States Is
Democratic by an overwhelming major
ity. This is the reason that so much
attention is being paid by the Republic
cans to the Congressional election. The
Democratic managers can find nothing
but hope in the Congressional situation,
and the Republican managers are be-
ginning to grow desperate and are
sending out hundreds Of thousands OF
documents urging the Republicans in
every Congressional district to stand
by their Congressman. If the Repub-
lican party is TO lose either the cleo
toral vote or Congress, they prefer to
lose the electoral vote. They can then
at least prevent all forms of Democrat
ic legislation and can show that they
remain loyal to the moneyed interests
which furnish campaign contributions
and thus raise another large fund in
1904.
Two years ago the Republicans car
ried the State OF West Virginia by less
than one thousand votes. This was a
falling off of eleven thousand votes in
two years. They realize that it will re-
quire the most active work to hold the
Republican vote where it was in 1898,
and as to two districts, at least, it will
be impossible to maintain the vote that
they had then. The second district is
in much better shape than it was two
years ago, for this reason: At that time
there was a majority of nearly three
thousand to overcome. The result was
that a great many Democrats were dis
couraged and few If any had any con-
fidence In being able to carry the dis
trict. When the vote was counted, II
was found that Col. John T. McGraw
would have been elected had 1t not been
for Republican frauds In two counties.
The Republican candidate had less
than roo majority, and an analysis Of
the votes in the Democratic counties
shows conclusively that this was
caused wholly by lack of confidence
In the result of the election in three
Democratic counties. There is no such
lack Of confidence to-day. The race
made by Col McGraw two years ago
redeemed the district 1t is no longer
a majority of nearly 5000 to overcome,
but majority of less thans 1000 There
is no longer any lack of confidence in
the result in the Democratic counties,
and should Col. Davis only succeed in
holding the strength of Col. McGraw,
he will be elected by good, safe ma
jority through the votes of those DEM
ocrats who, discouraged at first, re-
trained from voting, but who this year
are determined that the Democratic
majority in the second Congressional
district shall be as large as possible.
While the fourth district is not as GER
tain in its results as the second, there
is every reason to expect a sufficient
change to elect the Democratic candi-
date. 1t is scarcely necessary TO men,
ton the third district, as few Repub--
Hcans could be found who would risk