Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-18


democrats had the control of the election
machinery in the state of New York and
they counted lot of Butler votes Cleve-
land votes and thereby made him President.
[ have never believed that Cleveland was
fairly elected
Blaine Made Harrison President.
How about the nomination of Harri-
SOM" 1 asked
That took place in 1885," said Senator
Elkins. land largely through Blaines in
fuence Mr.. Blaine was in Europe that
year. and, shortly before the convention, he
sent home letter from Florence in which
he declined to be candidate. Then John
Sherman. w. Q. Gresham, Chauncey De-
pew, Russell A. Alger, Joe Hawley, w. B.
Allison and Benjamin Harrison came forth
as candidates. Shortly before the conven-
ton met Andrew Carnegie left New 7 ork
for Scotland where he expected to take n
coaching tour with Mr.. Blaine I had a
chat with him about the time he sailed, and
we then made up code of twenty words
in order that 1 might cable Blaine about
the convention and what passed be known
to ourselves alone.
Carnegie gave Blaine the code, and by 1t
I cabled Blaine from Chicago. He again
declined to be candidate, and l asked
him to cable me his choice among those be-
fore the convention. He replied: Take
Harrison In the balloting which fol-
lowed it was Blaine's strength going to
Harrison that made him the nominee, al
though this was greatly helped by the sup
port of Tom Plat. John Sherman was also
an element in that convention, and he
might possibly have had the Blaine follow
ing had he shown more sympathy for
Blaine in the conventions of 1876 and 1880"
What Campaigns Cost.
! You have had much to do with the man
agement of campaigns, Senator Elkins,"
said l. What does it cost to run one?"
THE expenses vary from year to year."
replied Senator Elkins, but l may say
they steadily increasing. The Hayes
campaign cost about $500, 600. The Blaine
campaign of 1854 cost $460 600 and that of
Harrison, which managed by Quay,
| cost, have been told, about 81 200, GOO The
| two campaigns since then have. according
| to current belief, cost doubly much as
the Harrison campaign &c. you see, the
expenses are enormous"
How about the democrats do they spend
much money!
They spend all they can get" replied
! Senator Elkins, but they are usually not
| able to raise SO much the republicans.
In the Blane-Cleveland campaign they
spent fully as much as we did; and know
what we spent for 1 then chairman
of the republican executive committee with
Mr.. Jones of Pittsburg at the head of the
national committee. Mr.. Jones was a very
cautious business man, and we kept close
accounts of everything, that we knew
just where the money went
Where the Money Goes.
But where do these vast sums go, SEN
ator? Are they used to buy votes?"
NO" replied Senator Elkins. The man
who will sell his vote to you will resell the
same vote to the democrats, and even If it
! were not dishonest it would not be good
business to buy votes. The money is spent
in various ways. The literary bureaus
which prepare and circulate campaign lit
erature cost enormous sums. Hundreds of
thousands of dollars are paid to speakers
who must be ready to go to any part of
the country on Geographic notice. Many
public men who gave up their whole time
to the campaign are paid SO much for the
season, or so much per night. Indeed, one
United States senator asked me Sc, GOO for
his services during one campaign. Then 1t
costs a fortunte to poll the country; that is
to ascertain just how many republicans
democrats and independents there are in
each election precinct and how they will
campaign is planned. This is largely done
by the states, but the national commit
tee helps"
All Politicians Not Honest.
But, senator is not much of the money
used dishonestly?" 1 asked.
Il think not" was the reply. Il don't
think any of 1t is knowingly SO used by
the national committee. In vast ma
chine like that of a political party how
ever, you will always find dishonest men
and the money given out for organization
and special work sometimes sticks to the
hands of those who receive it. / think we
lost large percentage of what we spent
in that way during the Blaine campaign"
THE cost of a national campaign" con-
tinued Senator Elkins, rs very great out
side Of the actual money spent in politics.
There is an enormous loss of business. The
people let politics take them away from
their stores, trades and farms. There Is
always an uncertainty as to the results
and as to possible change of tariff and
other matters that effect business, so that
presidential years are lean years as far as
business is concerned.
But this makes our government a very
expensive one, senatOr?'
Yes, 1t is expensive" was the reply,
but 1t is worth all 1t costs. The advan-
tages of democracy far outweigh all
such evils. We are our own masters and
our expenses are of our own creation and
not those Of one man a half dozen men
as In monarchical government"
Official Morality.
But does not our democracy tend to
produce nation of boodlers?"
NO" replied Senator Elkins. There is
some official corruption, but the press ex-
poses the most of 1t and there are an hun
dred honest men to every rascal. 1 am not
afraid Of the morality of the American
people and don't believe there Is any dam
ger of our town councils, our state legisla-
lures and our national Congress becoming
corrupt. AS long men are men you will
now and then find dishonest one, here
and there among them, but the majority
will always be true to themselves and their
country"
Earnings Of Senator.
How about the official morality at Wash
ington? How much can a United States
Senator legitimately maker"
He can make just 5000 year." said
Senator Elkins, 'and not one cent more
am tired of this talk about senatorial cor
ruption. I know it is said there are MEM
bers Of the Senate whose votes are for
sale, but. IL SO. 1 do not know them. No
one has ever approached me with an offer
for my vote or my influence. The profess
sional lobbyist Is largely a newspaper fic-
ton. He did exist In the past, but at