Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-09-11
PORK BARREL Is SHY
Both National Committees En-
barrassed by Lack OF Cam
paign Funds
LITTLE PROSPECT FOR MORE
Shortage Of Funds Causes Managers
to Arrange Short But Whirwind
Campaign During Month Of October
Stay-at-Home Campaigns Would Not
Work for Either Taft or Bryan.
LITTLE PROSPECT FOR MORE
Especial correspondence)

0Ol, IS luG 1llOtlO VI lllC poliSASseA AAiS$A.
ayers at both headquarters. The re-
publican national committee doesn't
expect to put out it's official orators
before that time; possibly the last ween
in September, but more likely the be-
ginning of October Then the cam
paign will be .waged in the form of
determined charge against the en-
trenchments of General Apathy, now
regarded as well nigh impregnable.
This Apathy fellow is giving the re-
publicans more worry than the demo-
Gratis The latter rather look upon him
as their ally. They know that they have
no means with which to make real
fight to arouse the voters, and they are
hoping that nothing will happen to stir
up the moneyed interests to liberal
ity toward the republicans. If we can
Just keep quiet enough to prevent any
body getting scared, we may win
was the candid statement of one demo-
cratic politician. But if we get out
with band and scare these downtown
fellows into giving Hitchcock lot OF
meney-then it's all over with US"
1t is generally understood that thus
far neither committee has much money
or prospects. AS soon as Chairman
Hitchcock got back from the west he
disappeared and was not seen at his
headquarters for the greater part OF a
day. Neither was he at his hotel Re-
port had it that he was in conference
with Treasurer Sheldon and William
Nelson Cromwell and other gentlemen
who are Immediately concerned with
the matter of raising funds.
In this connection, there was re-
port that some big interests which
commonly give UP to the campaign
treasurer had postponed decision as to
their course, until after Labor day.
Just why, is not known; but the story
goes that they wanted to have GER
tain specific assurances as to what Mr..
Taft's policies would be, and also his
methods of enforcing those policies.
before deciding how much they would
give Mr.. Hitchcock was to bring back
word from his candidate. Consequent
ly when on his first day back in New
York the national chairman promptly
and was reported In con-
ference with associates in the campaign
work, the, report was circulated with
more persistence than ever, that the
real crisis had come in the campaign,
and that "the street. was about to get
it's ultimattm from MIR. Taft, and the
managers to learn whether it would
convince ''the street" that it ought to
loosen"
"A story of this kind is taken in the
most literal way by people who are
in New York politics. They
know nothing here by which to judge
the probable outcome, except the re-
spective piles. 1t is assumed that the
party which can pay the most can get
the decision; that's all. Wherefore any
narration touching on the financial
of the contest gets most con-
siderate listening.
There is every reason indeed for the
belief that the one-month campaign
is in measure forced on both parties
by financial exigencies. Mark Hanna
probably raised $50O0,o0o in 1896, and
certainly that much more was spent
famous fight; all of it, really, bearing
directly on the national result. Now.
If to this $10000,OO0 be added the tre-
mendous sum which would be neces-
sary to represent the value of railroad
free special trains,
freights, express privileges, telegraph
and telephone tolls provided free to
the Hanna organization, it will be
plain enough that to duplicate the fight
made by the republicans, and pay cash
for all these things-which is neces-
sary in these anti everything times
would cost from $12,000,00o to $15,O0O,-
900. Where's it to come from? 1t
isn't coming; and so both committees
are going to make Short, sharp cam
paigns.
The whole business of campaigning
has to be reorganized under the new
conditions. In 1885, Mr.. Mckinley
stayed at home and on his front porch
at Canton received delegations day by
day and made speeches to them which
were sent to the whole country. That
was what Candidate Taft was going
to do this year, until it was discovered
that the scheme wouldn't work.
Free railroad transportation was
what made it work in 1896. The rail-
roads were all for Mckinley, and when
Hanna got the idea that some partic-
ular community really ought to send
a delegation to Canton, why, he got
the proper railroads to provide the
special train and free transportation;
then the local leaders at the point
whence the delegation was to come
did the rest 1t was easy as rolling
off log, to drum up the party when
free transportation on special train
was assured. Nothing in the world
looks so good as a free pass. Give a
man S. worth Of free transportation.
and he will leave his business, and
spend $40 on incidental expenses, in
order to take trip; and he'll feel
cure he is getting something for moth
ing. He would lake the same trip.
including railroad fare, for $40, if he
were doing it on cash basis.
Such is-no, be it said in sorrow.
such was-the seduction of free trans
portation. Hanna, then, furnished the
transportation, the prominent citi-
zens" were willing enough to make up
the parties for pilgrimages to Canton
So Mckinley hal daily visits from DEL
legations. and the front porch campaign
made great hit,
But there will net be another like it.
The front porch campaign went with
the free pass. The candidate who sits
at Canton or Lincoln ,or Cincinnati in
this year of grace and excessive NOR