The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-10

give her money to help along the party
/ whose possible defeat, she was afraid
would make it harder than ever to
earn her daily bread.
This letter was addressed to the
committee chairman personally in such
a way that 1t fell into his hands. 1t
gave the name and address of the
sender. and the committee chairman
promptly sent the $40 back to her,
with a letter saying that the commit
tee, despite its published appeals for
/ funds, had already been amply sup
piled win cash.
| Continuous Campaign Fund Collection
/ The Republican party has one adj
vantage over the Democratic party
/ with regard 20 campaign fund collec-
l ton, IN having the American Protec-
I tive Tariff league for an ally.
! This organization has many mem
/ bers scattered throughout the country,
and they contribute regularly, year in
/ and year out, when there is no cam
: paign, q s well as when there is. in the
I form CT dues. Besides, the league sys-
| tematically solicits political funds
year in ana year out, without a break
and its records show that considerably
more than million dollars has been
raised through its fundamentally in
/ the last few years.
The leagues scheme of continuous
/ collection of campaign funds is one of
: the most perfectly organized political
aggregate returns have amounted to
only a fraction of the total Republican
campaign moneys, the fact that it is
available on 'off years. and so may be
used to keep it's propaganda going
continuously gives it a value all its
own.
For some years the Reform club.
working in harmony with the Demo-
crarc party, essayed to carry on a sim
llar work but its organization seemed
less effective. and that branch of its
activities has long been abandoned.
Expert Campaign Collectors.
Many of the political war horses of
Dorh parties have been famous for
their skill as campaign fund collec-
tors. The late Senator Hanna on the
one side, and the late Roswell P
Flower on the other, were conspicu-
IOus in that way. Cornelius N Bliss
has had more to do with the coIIec-
ton OF Republican funds of late years
than any member of his party now
living.
The late lack Chandler, whose name
even is hardly known to the younger
generation of voters, was the most ia
nous of the early campaign collectors
for the Republicans, and during the
days of his political activity the late
William @. Whitney was a verita bic
sheet anchor for the Democratic ship
when it came to raising money
Though every campaign manager
aims to keep his plans profoundly Sc
IGACLs CSpECia41S THOSE LOT CDtI6CIlO2
money, the departure of an expert
campaign collector in search of "the
dough" is generally known to one or
two trusted employees, who leak the
news to two or three intimate friends,
through whom it leaks a little further.
and so on often till the newspapers
get 1t and then the world is let into
the secret.
During all his absence there is in
tense expectation at headquarters
Even the messengers get to worrying
about it. Then, one day, the collector
returns. He is closeted long time
with the chairman or treasurer, the
door to the inner sanctum being closed
to everybody When the collector
leaves the folks about headquarters
watch closely the face of the official
he talked with If it is long and
drawn with anxiety they all know that
money is still tight. If it is broadly
wreathed with smiles, they know the
committee is flush and the good news
travels outward in every widening cir
cleS till it reaches the newspapers, and
then we all hear about it.
Besides, there are often more de-
tailed leaks Of such information meant
to be kept quiet. and sometimes the
circumstances justify the committee in
giving out the news openly. Possibly
it isn't too much to say, though, thai
occasionally news of this sort, giveI
out by campaign committee is the
most unreliable of all.
In the old days small records were
: made of the campaign expenditures Of
either party. but of late years there
I has been a change. 1t began in 1892
when Cleveland and Harrison were
: running against each other the second
time. Possibly, it was brought about
by the two candidates, possibly by The
officers of the two committees. At al
events, the books and vouchers were
2 managed much more systematically
: during that campaign than ever before
r and ever since then it has been the
} aim of the committee chairman OF
both parties to watch the outgo of ths
money as closely as it is watched bg
f any corporation manager in the con
duct Of its business.
The change erected in 1892 was So
=, radical that there were party workers
. on both sides who became highly fndig
g nant at the new order of things. Al
! possibly good business, but infernall,
bad political policy. But there is small
+, probability that the old order viii eve
r be resumed.
S It should be understood, however
{ that while it has recently been the rul,