The Washington herald., 1908-08-13

and cents Every four years y 6roTVs
more and more expensive 10 elect
President People now are wondering
Just what viii happen to the Democratic
campaign # the maximum limit Of con-
tribution from a single Individual, as es-
tablished BY Mr.. Bryan at S10.00c. is ad-
hered to. Political leaders viii tell you
that both parties require IN he neighbor-
hood OF from 100000 TO $4,000 II they
wocld conduct an effective campaign.
and that without such a fund It will be
impossible 10 keep up the fight all along
the line All this. Of coarse. barring the
Occurrence OF the political phenomenon
known as a Landslide"
This. however. is different from what
conditions were in the past The cleo
ton of Abraham Lincoln cost the Re
pubIicaus only S30o.60o- The Democrats
spent as much on Douglas. while the
slave-holding wing OF the party is said
70 have spent more 10 elect John c.
Breckinridge- -Four years later the Dem
ocrats had little OF no money with Gen
Mcclellan as their standard bearer. while
Mr.. Lincoln could have had an unlimited
fund from financial interests in the North
that believed the war should be con-
tfnued with him in the White House and
the issue with the Southern States set
tied definitely Little money was needed
in 1865 OF IS72. so far as the Republicans
were concerned The Democratic party
was not IN a position either year 10 con
duct a very aggressive campaign In the
former year friends Of Gov Seymour
raised a fund. but It amounted TO Moth
ing compared with what Gen Grant had.
or could have had. 70 bring about his re-
election
Big campaign funds were not the rule
until 1876 That year the supremacy OF
the Republican party was seriously
threatened because Of the scandals dur
ing the administration Of Gen Grant
The Democratic party had named Samuel
7 Tuden. a man who commanded ad-
ulira-ion throughout the country. Abran
s Hewitt then already a man OF
means. was managing the campaign for
the Democrats. and Henry Watrerson
was helping him and looking after things
in the South Nearly q million dollars
was spent thar year The conservatives
estimate II al y50.1r0. but that figure is
entirely TOO low
More than 10000 was spent IN the
campaign cf 1854 Both James G. Blaine
and Grover Cleveland had hosts OF
friends and admirers among the wealthy
element and these contributed literally
10 the party fund -Four years later. there
was the great battle over the tariff issue.
Two million dollars was said 10 have
been spent. The figures are also con-
seTvative- There Is the well-founded be
lief that the manufacturing interests Of
Pennsylvania and New England alone
raised more than this sum. not so much
for party. but business reasons The
figures have been mounting upward ever
since IN the campaign Of 1892 both the
Democrats and Republicans had more
than s. .eaoJl5 al their disposal Four
years later. and again in 1870. Air- llama
had several. millions. not merely one cr
two. az his disposal 20 defeat Bryan
That these heavy contributions PLAYED a
part in the fight goes without saying
Il is now in order 10 consider what this
money is spent for There are. first. the
legitimate campaign expenses National
headquarters has between 20 ard l01
employees Their wages and the rent
amount 70 S3o09 a day Some Of these
employees are absolutely sUperfUoUs. In
many instances they have been put there
10 concIlIate some powerful nan or fac
ton OF the party. and they render nothing
in return for their s-Iary- During the
campaign Of 1904 a former United States
Senator and friend Of 8Ir Bryan was
drawing $50 g week from the Democratic
national headquarters. though what serv-
ice he rendered in return nobody knew.
The next expense IS for speakers More
men than the public would imagine re-
Ceive both salary and expenses The
average rate IS 500 a week There are
men. however. who are paid as much as
$50 Il is said that Bourke Cochran re-
ceived as much as 1900 for his reply 70
William J. Bryan in the campaign OF 1886
The expenses are never very light. either
very often more than equalilg the salary.
The distribution Of a single speech il
printed form has cost as much as 5000
and there have been canpai igns where
twenty Of such speeches have been deIiv-
cred and circulated In the campaign Of
1Ss2 q letter OF Carl Schurz on the tariff
was widely distributed. especially among
his German c0untryuen. az a cost Of more
than $500
There IS also the spectacular side OF the
campaign 10 be considered. New York
and other cities have had torchlight pro
cessions costing as much as SI200o Three
thousand dollars has been expended for
music. decorations. and the hire Of g
hall This sum represents the cost OF
some Of the monster mass meetings held
Al Madison Square Garden
These. however. are only minor ex-
penses- They have nothing 70 do with
the finer work OF the campaign The big
money Is spent from what is known as
the secret or emergency fund Il has
helped on more than one occasion 10
turn the tide The money goes. first into
those States that are doubtful. and then
70 the debatabIe ones As a rule. the
doubtful States can have all they need
while the debatabIe ones must be content
with the remainder To Illustrate the
managers Of the Republican campaign in
Indiana viii have the first call on the
party funds. while only such money as
remains or can be raised IN addition is
apt 70 be used IN such States as North
Carolina OF Tennessee. Both sides watch
the situation so closely as TO have an in
timatiOn when the state IS doubtful OF
debatable
During the closing DAYS Of the cam
paign OF 1883 both Nj Clarkson. Of the
Republican. and the late Calvin s. Brice
Of the Democratic National Committee.
placed West Virginia among the doubtful
States The Democrats sent $4,000. while
the Republicans spent S51,O90 there IN
diana was. OF course. another doubtful