The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-10-21

The advertisement q! ms
candidacy which Colonel Hitch
l. cock is running in the
ncwspapcrs-on of them APP
peared in Saturdays Tribune and
another appears this mOrninG-as
well as in his personal canvass stress
is laid upon the fact that he was as
sesscd one thousand dollars by the
Republican county organizations; that
he didn't think it was a fair ASSESS
mcnt and that therefore he chose to
run on Il third party ticket.
This was fully explained in Mr.. Con-
nell's recent interview but in order that
no misconceptions should exist, we
wish to refer to the matter again. AS
all Republicans should know, the party
rules require the county chairman to
assess all candidates before Republic
can county primary for the expenses
of holding the primary election. He is
directed to proportion the assessment
to the protitablcncss of the office
sought. This was understood by Col
onel Hitchcock when he registered as
candidate.
Was the thousands dollar ASSESS
ment too high? There are 167 election
districts and in each district to hold
a primary requires the services of three
men besides a return judge. In ma
jority of cases these men have to stop
their ordinary work and lose a days
time. 1t has, therefore, been the GUS
tom TO allow them s. apiece as COM
pensation for their time and work. The
return judge, who has to travel to
and from the county seat with the re-
turns, losing day from his regular
work and also having to pay car fare
and for at least one meal, gets SO. Is
this cXorbitant" Would Colonel Hitch
cock have this work done for nothing?
Could he get it done for nothing?
Could he get it done for less?
Here, then, is 50 expense for every
election district for labor alone. But
there are other expenses. There is the
hire of the booths, There are the
printing and the distribution of the
ballots. There is the advertising, first
of the date of the primary, then of the
candidates registered and of other
matters called for by the rules. These
necessary incidental expenses amount
in county like LackaWanna to not
less than $1,000 for each primary cleo
tion; we think We are safe in asserting
that there isn't "A county in the COM
monwealth employing the direct prim-
airy that has it's primaries conducted
more economically so far as the county
organizations connection with them
goes. What the candidates themselves
spend Is another story.
Now count this up One hundred and
siSty-seven districts at 81 apiece for
for advertising, printing, booth-hire
and incidentals and, in round num-
hers, you have S2500 as the total cost
OF "a primary. When there are a doZc,
or two dozen candidates this repre-
sents only small amount each. But
Colonel. Hitchcock's friends should re-
member that this year there were only
six registered candidates, though the
expense of holding the primary was
as great as If there had been Il hum
dred, lie could not have got off for
less than $4O0 if all the candidates had
been assessed equally. But the rules
require, that the assessment shall be
In proportion to the revenue of the
Office. There is little in the office of
controller, coroner or surveyor, with
only three year term, to compare with
ten-year judseship at $4,000 year.
Very properly the candidates for judge
were assessed $1,000 apiece At that,
Their assessment bore a smaller propor-