The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-11-03


slerstand these only state salaries
The individual county and district superinten-
dents, ballot clerks and the like do away with
nearly Il half million more From the election
laws ] learn that minimum of $4,000 was al
lowed for office expenses alone. How much be-
yond that amount can be spent no one knows.
And take the city of New IOrk-the largest
voting city in rhe country. 1t has a commissioner
of elections who gets his $1,000. For that mat
every city in the country has its similar Of
tcer at wage well into four figures. Even a
commissioner of elections in a city under 100000
population draws his bit. generally Sl,2oO AS
for the inspectors you count them in the
thousands. Throughout the country there are
about ten thousand of them. and all gettin:
five dollars a day. This accounts for $4,000 out
lay each day for rs many days as they work.
D ESIDES this the cost of voting is trying to
keep pace with the increasing cost of living. In
New York State it has more than doubled in ten
years. In 1902 it cost Chemung County $4,000 for
an election. Last year the bill was s6.194. This
year it will be $4,000 Besides changes in the
election law making necessary personal registra-
ton in the rural districts have added to the to-
tai. In New York every county has board whose
total salaries come to nearly $4,000. When you
figure that there siNty-One counties IN the.
state it is easy to how it all mounts up. Last
wear one county. Columbia-small by comparison
with some of the Others-had big printing bill
1t was So 900. Imagine what it Will be for New
York county in this year of Presidential election
And Just as New York finds the bill high so
do they in other states. In every city having a
population of 2.OO000O there election inspec-
tors who get $50 for every day they work. Not
only do they work the first Tuesday IN NOHem-
Der but on registration day and the days when
the regist ration is revised. Then there are 500
q day fees for clerks the days of voting and
So a day for counting and reporting the bal
lots Also ballot clerks get their $500 a day. In
all states it is precisely the same New York -
a very fair example. Way across the continent.
in California. il costs them 100000 to hold a
Presidential election Down in Texas where the
vote is more expensive to get out the charge for
each man was three dollars In Georgia the
total was about the same Indeed you can figure
on an average of 100000 for the larger states
like Illinois and 100000 for the of the small
Ter states.
AND were 7 to include conventions and cam
"A paiyn funds i'm these statistics: were To adj
the tremendous sums spent by the newspapers. Tor
telegraph tolls. special writer's and all the hnSc
expenses Of a bic newspaper office. were Z" adj
in the money thrown away on campaign pusIoh>.
on HayS on street ilanncrS.-If wouldn't Dr. hain
to run up the total a billion. BESIDES the eN-
pcnscs Of parties are tremendous Hut ours Is =
government NV PARTIES. There is no other way
And with parties there must ~ organization
rau;za,ion down to the election district the town.
shin. the ward More. all this costs money!
lot Of money. And IL il essential =" eject =
President.
Think Of the convention cNpcnSc>-not OniE
the national conventions hut the county and state
conventions Scores Of thousands of delegates
maid hotel bills. travelling and other cxTrnst~
VIVA, the sum don't know. Nots"ty d"eS