Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1912-10-25
CAPPER SPENDING
.s25,000FOR0FF|CE|
Farmers Are Discussing Editors
Expensive Campaign.
WHY is IT WORTH WHILE 7
Advertising and Letter Writing 10
o. Proving Expensive to Bull
Moose-Republiean
Candidate.
WHY is IT WORTH WHILE

AOPcha, hdH.TAn Interesting QueS-
don has been raised In Kansas touch.
Ing the cost OF a public Office. The
voters are asking the question, is
the governorship Of Kansas which
pays $1,000 q year, worth $4,000?
May only rich men under the present
primary system secure this honor?"
1t isn't the politicians and the men
about the cities and towns who are
making this inquiry. The farmers
were the first to ask why 1t is that
Arthur Capper, Roosevelt supporter.
but the candidate for governor on the
Republican ticket, can AFFORD to spend
$4,000 or more e be elected to this
Office.
a little company OF farmers in Mar
shall county who had met at the coun-
ty seat on a Saturday afternoon, fell
to talking about the campaign. Il
got a long letter from Capper the
other day" one Of them remarked.
Six others spoke up and said they had
received personal letter from the Re.
publican candidate. The letters were
produced and all we're the same form,
differing only in the name written in
by typewriter, with the Dear Mr.. So
and So"
-FoRTY.TWo LETTERS IN ONE
TOWNSHIP. :
The seven farmers who lived in the
same township wondered il others Of
their neighbOrs had received similar
letters. They agreed to make a poll
of the township. A week later they
again met at Marysville and reported
that forty-two other farmers had re.
ceiVed the same letter. Each letter
contained stamped envelope request.
ing reply as to the situation in his
community"
The farmers Of Kansas are quick to
figure out propositions. These Mar.
shall county farmers remembered that
there we're thirty-three ward and town.
ship divisions in their county that
would average up with their own
township. This would mean that 1884
Capper letters had been sent into Mar.
shall county. In postage alone il
would cost s3l.6S to send these let.
tiers. Add to this the enclosed post,
age and the amount is swelled to
$685., which, in addition to the cost
Of stationery, printing, labor and
stenographers' charges would swell
the grand total for Marshall county
to SIS. Assuming. of course, that Mr.
! Capper letterized the entire state, and
that 100 other counties would average
with Marshall, it would mean an ex
penditure for this one broadside letter
Of $500. AS this means of reach
ing the people" has been repeated al
least twice, 1t would mean an expen
diture in letter writing to the people
OF Kansas Of more than $4,000.
Is ONLY ONE ITEM.
But this letter writing is only .
part Of the Capper campaign expense
In 100 Kansas newspapers is a hall
column boiler plate advertisement ad
vocating Capper's election. This il
to run until the election. 1t is safe
to estimate that the average charge
by the local publishers will not be
less than IS for the campaign. This
one sweep in advertising would total
$4,000, running the cost of a campaign
for governor on the combined Bull
Moose-Republican ticket up to more
than $4,000.
All over the state the farmers in
the different communities who neigh
Dor with each other are comparing
their Capper letters. They are won
dering why man is willing to spend
$4,000 to get an Office that only pays
In salary $4,000 year. Some Of the
more intelligent Of these men are sug
costing that probably Mr.. Capper IL
willing to pay this price for the gov
ernorship so he can use the position
to boost his half-dOzen farm publica