The Washington herald., 1908-08-30

in the United States where the two lead
ing parties hold political conventions 70
choose delegates so the State conventions
which in turn select the delegates 10 the
national convention Il is safe 10 as
sumo that each Of these county conven-
tons represent an outlay Of $50 in time
and uoney-s700 0o0 by each party for its
county conventions Then there are the
forty-six State conventions There are
at least a thousand people who attend
each Of these. and ~ railroad fare. hotel
bills. and the other inci5entals OF con
ventio1 attendance. TOO numerous 10 men
zion. Il is pret-v safe 20 assert that the
time and money spent by each one who
attend amounts 70 80 This means an
outlay Of 81 20 by each party for the
state conventions
Then come the national conventions
Experience has taught that sl"oooo suf-
fces for the oficial expenses OF 4 ua-
tonaI convention. and leaves a nice little
nest egg in the contribution box for the
/ expenses Of the preliminary weeks OF the
/ campaign But that IS not The heaviest
/ expense. By any means The 1O09 dele
gates must all pay their way. and since
{ the pass has been IegisIsted out Of the
realm Of good standing this is no small
.
I average delegate spends so with the rail-
roads and the Pullman Company. Then
I II he Eets OF with another hundred dol
/ lars while attending the convention he
1 finds reason 10 congratulate himself
| That makes another sI5d.eo9 in the agsre-
Z gate and the outsiders VINO come make
4 up the remainder Of the million dollars
! which 3 spend by the people who attend
Z a national convention
/ Thus directly and Indirectly. Il costs
not fa- from S4o-e. 900 10 select each OF
. the two leaders around whose standards
I the political hosts are expected 10 rally
I IN the November battle OF The ballots.
The other couventions-Prohibi n
! dependence League Populists, Socialists
and nCndescripts-au cost something. and
. IL Is net improbable that nearly $1,000
[ 90 = spent in one way OF another n
I getting ready for a great Presidential
I campaign
Next IN importance to the political con
ventious IN the outlay Of money are rhs
church conventions and Sunday school
7 conventions There are perhaps 81
church organizations OF one kind o.
another IN the United States which holc
some sort % a national convention. vary
InE in size from great iuteFnati1aa
Christian Endeavor Convention down 4
the small gathering OF a hundred o.
more Railroad fare is. OF course, theil
principal expense. sor the majority OF al
tendaIcS ind entertainment in privar,
/ homes At little or no expense Count rh'
/ average attendance al 800 and the aver
axe outlay al S2o-both OF which are Ike
" 10 be un6erestimates rather than over
esJinstes-and the total cost Is s.. .0osl. .0l3
But this IS not all OF the expense O
church organizations for the holding O
conventions There axe the State Suuda,
school conventions. Christian Endeavo
conventions, and the like Each STAT
, probably has more than twenty Of thes
every year. But taking that as an est
mate. and an attendance Of 100. il mean
100 railroad fares. Place the averag
roUad-tTip fare at only S5-again an est
; mate obviously under rather than abov
: the true average-and the total outlay o,
this score foots up nearly half q miIlio'
+ dollars These figures make Il a sef
T guess that the church people OF II
= United States spend at least s.. SO go
I year IN attending conventions and meet
: tngs Of various kinds
Next IN Importance TO the church con
ventions come the meetings OF the secre
orders No one can adequately estimat
; lay which each meeting calls forth
, great Elk convention, a meeting Of tn
knights Of Columbus, or an encampnen
OF the national body Of Mascns or Cd
> Fellows calls forth thousands from ever
I section OF the country. Counting fifty ia
! tionaI e1cauprueuts OF the different secre
organizations. an average attendance @
r 100 and an average outlay Of only s.
would give a total OF S2.5000g0 expende
e. IN these meetings The State convention
q probably show even a greater outlay /
! the aggregate than this.
] There Is almost no business or profss
2 sion under the sun which does not have
- national organization oF its represents
e tives to-day, and also its State organiza
9 tons n most of the States. The follow
$ ing few Of the conventions which hav
{ taken place during August OF are sched
q uled for September suggest the great We
r riety and wide scope Of the conventio
habit: American Pharmaceutical Assc
ciaJIon- Collegiate Alumuae Association
Pacific Coast Gas Association. IndepsnC
ent Order Ladies' Militant Supreme For
= ress. Catholic Total Abstinence Union {
America, International Acetyline Essocis
ton, Concatenated Order Of Hoo Ho,
National Sawsmiths' Union. Unite
Brothers Of Friendship and sisters Of n
Mysterious Ten. Knife Grinders Associs
ton Of North America. United State
Hay Fever Association, and some hui
I dred others
During the month Of September the1
will be some 400 conventions. State an
national. and this Is but an ordinar
month II is certain that the number hel
during a years time is not under 5.od0
they bring together an average OF but )
people It means that z.5o0.000 OF Unc
Sans citizens have come from the var
Gus sections OF the country to mingle wit
others OF kindred tastes and kindred il
terests- II each Of them spent but SO Il
1 total outlay would be s50.9oo.ooo. This