Norwich bulletin., 1911-10-20
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Party Campaign Expenditures.

MT. Editor: One Of the striking facts connected with the state campaign of 1910 was that the only party to show a gain, viz. the socialist party, was the party which expended by far the least during the campaign. To those who think that money rules everything. a study of this significant event is rec commended. Although the socialists did not win the election, their success in increasing their vote nearly 150 per cent. in two years, while their oppo- nents lost sroIt:tsi Perceptfbly, was distinct triumph of socialist principles. While the socialist party spent less than three hundred dollars in the state campaign, the old parties spent thou saids and tens of thousands.
 Henry Robinson Palmer of StOnIng- ton, editor of the Providence Journal, gave an address to the Mems club in Mystic last winter in which he said the excessive expenditure of money to car ry elections was one of the greatest evils of the present day. Everyone agreed with him and as we read about the Sibley-L y-Lorimer- Mclean Stephen son jackpots there is certainly little argument needed to convince the aver age man on that point.
 The returns from the recent Connec- ticut elections are instructive in this regard. In Bristol the reaetionaries were so frightened at the possible elec- tion of a socialist mayor that they claimed that they would raise a fund of $5,000 to defeat Hull. The old line politicians spent officially at least $500 to beat Hull by scarcely half dozen votes, while the socialist organ ization did not spend cent, and MT. Hull spent about $50. MT. Hull has bitterly fought the saloon element in Bristol, and he had to fight the liquor interests naturally. In Manchester the socialists elected a selectman William H. Schfeldge. who spent but s mn the election while it is reported that each of the candidates of the old parties spent at least ten times this amount. This victory is a signal socialist tri- umph, as it is the first time the social ists have elected a selectman in Con- nectcut, and it is more surprising in Manchester, which is owned and con- trolled by the Cheney Brothers, MT. SchieIdge being a blacklisted weaver. The socialist party in Manchester made the most marked gains and it bids fair to become the second party there in the next election.
 In Norwich in the June city election the socialists spent seven dollars for the printing of platforms, and that was all. In the recent town election the socialist party was the only one to gain, as has been shown, and it report ed an expense of S1.S0, of which $1.50 was for the printing of platforms and 30 cents for the carfareS expended by speakers. Note carefully what the money is spent for Qiterature) and compare this very modest expenditure with the expense bills of the old par ties.
 The Norwich socialists are now fir- ing the first gun of the 1912 campaign in the mailing of over 4,000 copies ot Congressman Berger's speech on the Wool Schedule to every voter in Nor wich. They have been put to consider able expense in placing this remark able address before Norwich citizens, and it is to be hoped tha the voters will make an exception in favor of this public document and take a. few min utes to read what has been called the greatest speech ever delivered in con gress. When Congressman Berger spoke in New London ex-Governor Waller was an interested auditor, and at the close of the talk Waller was introduce ed to Berger. and said that he had read his speech on the wool schedule and had enjoyed it very much.
 The socialist party is organized on sound financial basis, as all of it's funds are supplied by the rank and file Within a brief decade it has grown from a mere handful to 100000 mem bers, who are paying on the average 25 cents a month or s25,0o0 a month