El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-05-18

president Of the United States. In
1885 Mark Hanna spent nearly $1,000
600 TO elect Mckinley, one-half of this
amount being contributed by New York
City One insurance company gave
100000, and one railroad 500, 600. EX-
ceptionaI conditions made il compare
lively easy TO obtain contributions for
the Republican cause big business
being badly frightened by the menace
OF Bryan, and cOrrespondingly willing
TO go down deep into its pockets.
1t is well within the mark to suppose
that the two national committees, Re
publican and Democratic, viii together
spend Sb,OOO,OO0 during the approaching
campaign Each Of them viii send out
at least 5000 speakers, popularity known
as "speubinders." whose salaries will
run from S25 to $3.50 a week, with an
extra allowance Of IS a day for ex-
penses. When it is understood that
these persons will exercise their ora
tOrtcal responsiveness on the stump
during a period Of eight weeks, It viii
be seen how this item must mount up.
But for every stump speaker en-
ployed by the national committee the
state committees will have 10. The
rent Of buildings in which the cam
paign meetings are held will amount to
a tidy sum- And then there Is the item
Of printing, which viii not be less than
half million dollars for the Demo
Gratis, and as much for the Republi-
cans Each national committee viii
send out at least 1OO,O00,OO0 documents
largely speeches made or alleged TO
have been delivered, IN congress, and p
as such franked through the mails
The balance Of such literature will go
by express to the chairmen OF the va
rious state committees for distribution
Big Postage Bill.
Even with such economy, each ma
tiOnal committee will spend something
like 100000 for postage stamps. And
another rather expensive item IS cam
paign buttons, Of which 5000 900 will
bear the portrait Of the Republican
candidate, and an equal number that Of
his Democratic opponent There will
also be o,OOO,OOO autographed like
nesses Of each Of the two candidates
sent out to the state chairmen for such
use as they may deem eXpedient. Minor
expenditures are necessarily multitude
nous but perhaps the most striking
popularity of the whole affair Is that
no accounting will be made Of the
enormous sums Of money spent The
accounts viii be kept Dy numbers
the names represented by them being
known only to two or three men. Even
the persons employed to keep the &C
counts will not be IN the secret, and
the books, when the campaign is at an
end, will be burned.
But to 90 back a step to the nominee.
from the moment OF his nomination he
becomes Of necessity a popular CynO-
sure Detectives quietly and unObtru-
slVely assume guardianship over him, to
protect him against possible attack by
cranks- But in other ways he Is sub
Jected to endless anuOyances. POliti-
clans and all sorts OF other people
make demands upon him, or try TO eX-
tort promises from him to be fulfilled
in case Of his election When Martin
Van Buren, was looking forward TO
his election for a second term, toward
the close of the campaign. hungry
crowds literally besieged the East
room, clamOring to be fed and threat
he rel
1t will be rem embered that during the 7
previous administration mobs had so I
abused the easy hospitality Of the I
white house, standing on the satin COW
cred chairs and making mess with the 4
food. that Van Buren, discontinued the /
practice of offering refreshments at 4
public receptions.
The office Seeking Army.
Once elected, the successful candidate
finds himself sore beset by all sorts Of
people, who are eager to make use Of
llm for advertising purposes. Scores Of
tailOrs in different cities exhibit his
inauguration suit weeks before the
event Cigars are named after him;
but only one brand, his name being pat
7nted as trademark Manufacturers.
IF nostrums send him pills. spring med
c1nes, cleansing compounds, etc. hop
ng for an acknowledgment which viii
)e utilizable as an "ad" There is bit
er competition among hotel keepers
or his patronage, and whatever hos
elry he may select. the rooms he occu-
les viii be known from that time on
s the presidents suite" fetching a
igher rental
Mr.. Taft has saved something during 4
is administration, but not very much, : 7
The average person might Z ?
oppose that with a salary Of $500 a
ear. q fine house. rent free an addi-
ional house keeping allowance Of SIS
90 per annum, lights. fuel. servants. I :
lusic, flowers. stationary, and even a /
andsOme yacht provided. he ought tC :
e able to put nearly all Of his pay irro I I
he banks. But what empties his pOck-
tbOOk IS the huge and unavoidable eX-
enditure for entertaining. The form
dinners he is obliged to give al fire. 7
uent intervals alone cost him from :
800 tc $1,000 apiece. Z
No president has ever entertained so I
Ivishly or so prOfusely as Roosevelt
eyOnd a doubt he left the white house Z