Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-08-16

tees the Republicans had 100000 more in 1908
the The Republican statement placed the
expenditures of the national committee at $1,6000O9.
while the Democrats had only 100000 all told. OF
the Republican 100000 raised by state fl
nance committees and spent in the several states
without going through the hands OF the nanona
committee although the accounts were forwarded TO
the committee. The national committee itself
pended little over s1OOoOoo.
In the Democratic camp there than 1oo.-
900 individual contributors upward OF $4,000 of whom
600 from the Democratic national committee In posi-
express companies $4,000 and the telegraph
companies much more On the labor bureau $S7,-
600 spent in the effort line up organized labor
against Taft The printing bill amounted to $4,000.
$4,000 supply the stream Of campaign
oratory that flowed from the hastings Of the coun-
try. The various state organizations got $129,ooO
Recently congress has probing into the cam
paigns Of 1904 and 1908. through the committee on
privileges elections of the senate but the results
have not been all startling.
According to the testimony Of those who have ap-
peared political committees of the two great
ties have been as politically virtuous they well
could far back 1904 they were turning down
trust tobacco trust and other trust coptriba-
and left and neither party confesses to
have been willing to receive tainted money" from
any source. One man came to Chairman Cortelyon
with a roll bills amounting to $4,000 which he
felt II his patriotic duty to give to the cause of his
party. and then offhandedy observed that when VIC
tory once to the glorious cause of Repu5-
. icanisTn he hoped he would have friend at court
when ne applied position in the diplomatic sery-
ice abroad That little remark transformed high
purposed contribution into one described py olIIeE
ent adjective Mr. Cortelyou said nay. nay there
Is no need of such money in camp. MI Dupont
of Delaware, had $4,000 donation to make in the
1908 campaign but Nj. Hitchcock remembered that
the powder trust then having little trouble with
the government, he told Mr. Dupont that he woald
better keep his money. Mr.. Dupont did not view II
that. way however: What have given. I have
given, he remarked. and Immediately he opened up
new in the name of the Republican party
and started hold the $4,000 until such time as
the party would let him spend it.
One Of the most Interesting Of all the contribu-
lions TO the Democratic campaign fund designated
as the Ewing contribution" 1t amounted to nearly
$4,000 and except for Few quarters and half doll
lars it consisted entirely OF and Decent pieces
man named Ewing in Illinois undertook to raise a
nickel and dime fund. and it kept growing and grow
ing until of the comparatively Few large
contributions Of the campaign. James Kerr, OF Penn
svlvaufa also undertook raise fund by gathering
together all the pin money subscriptions he could ge
and in the aggregate this one Of the most impor
tant contributions coming out OF the state OF Penn
sylvania. ..ee
Hermann Ridder the treasurer Of the Democratic
national committee 1908, oseems to have been the
largest contributor in either party that year H9
gave $4,000 to fund, although the books do not
show it, AS Mr.. Bryan had limited the amount tha-
sbouId he received from any to 10000 Mr.
Ridder according to his statement gave $Sf.OV9
of which $4,000 was in his own name and $4,000 IN
the name OF each OF MS thIee SUNS H-At2 -A
shows how easy usually to get around any law
limiting contributions. In this particular case 10
one charges, that the of Mr. Rider was open
TO criticism he evidently had no Interior motive
in the matter; but the magnate who would want 70
livs large amount might it by giving through
a number of individuals under him
The Democratic committee in 1908 is the first na-
tional committee that preserved and made public
full list Of every contribution given Not single
scent piece contributed failed Of
the of the donor in the books of the committed
The same policy probably will be pursued this sysa-
and the party leaders that the list of contrib
utors will be the longest in the entire history OF
American politics.