The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-10
FUNDS ARE LARGER.
Most Of the Money Is Spent Lee
ultimately.
Sometimes Letters Accompany
ing 1t Are Interesting.
By HAZARD WILLIAMS.

BY HAZARD WILLIAMS.
~ AMPAIGN contributions are
not often discussed elabor-
ately between presidential
elections. but the recent
~ amazingly frank testimony
concerning the amounts
campaigns by two high insurance Off
cials has set the whole country buzz
ing
Yet, save that these officials gave
detailed information, they told nothing
that was not generally known before
they went on the witness stand No
secret has ever been made that the
campaign committees of both the big
parties have been obliged to spend a
mint Of money every four years in car
Tying on the campaigns.
Somebody has always had to furnish
this money and, Of course, those who
have put their hands in their pockets to
do 80 have always contributed to the
party whose success was nearest their
hearts. Besides, the rich have always
given most of it. The poor haven't the
money to give.
So generally has the contribution of
large and small sums to presidential
campaign funds been understood that
no secret has been made for years by
campaign managers that money gifts
would be welcome at headquarters.
Announcements to this effect have
been printed frequently in the news
papers on behalf of both parties.
Even the amounts given by certain
individuals in response to these pub
lished calls have been furnished to the
newspapers by the campaign commit
tees and published in the newspapers
as political news likely to cheer up
those of the true political faith.
Thus on June %. 1900. there was
printed in dOuble-leaded type under
big scare heads in the chief newspa-
pers supporting one Of the presidential
candidates a dispatch setting forth
that three men who were named, and
were prominent citizens in one of the
western states had contributed $4,000
apiece to the campaign fund. Four
years before, the dispatch said the
same three prominent citizens had con
tributed $4,000 each to the campaign
fund of the opposition party.
1t has never been supposed to be a
secret worth guarding that the silver
interests" contributed heavily to the
Bryan fund, nor that the financial in
terests" were equally liberal with
their money in behalf Of the
Mckinley fund. The only nov
city about the present situation
Is that now two corporation Of
dcials have sworn to making contri-
buttons, and that the corporation is an
insurance company.
How the Campaign Funds Are Spent.
Inere IS no doubt that parts of the
campaign funds have sometimes been
spent in q corrupt manner, but every
one "on the inside" and every one who
reads the newspapers inte1IIgently
knows that the major part of all the
money used in presidential campaigns
for years by both parties has been
used in what are properly termed
Legitimate" ways.
It is only necessary simply to refer
to the enormous cost of the campaign
printing of modern times, to the ex-
nenses OF the monster mass meetings
now considered necessary. to the sums
that must be laid out on the gorgeous
banners that decorate city streets and
country roads alike when the nation IS
Ia the throes of choosing a. new. presi-
dent
Besides, there are the expenses OF
eanvassing the country and recanvass-
fnr If, the cost of the literary beau
raaus" and q hundred other things de-
vised BY ingenious managers to indu-
ence the undecided voter.
All these things cost money, and &
lot Of ft; somebody must put it UP, and
n the disclosures recently made by this
Insurance officials shall lead to even
~7qrtial atoppage Of the practice o.
rar1paizn-gfving. the campaign in th'
ff7tfsre VIA be far less exciting and in
Seresting Ehan the campaigns in TIT
mast have been
ola tlnaags &C ne political game vii