The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-07-16
COST OF CAMPAIGN.


wrong ana InaC A1lcI aAA 1AA0 POAAeAS

game in Kansas-properly played-is
for rich men only.
In his conclusions as to the expense
for q personal letter campaign, Laugh
lin estimates the cost Of each letter at
five cents-covering postage. letter
heads, envelopes, stenographer, once
rent, furniture. and other expense in
cidental to q letter writing campaign.
IAughlin's Campaign Figures.
Here are q few Of Laughlin's cam
paign figures:
Staring into the campaign for the
nomination, the candidate will prob
ably desire to send at least one per-
sonal letter to worker In each pre-
cinct. There are $500 voting pre-
cincts in Kansas: Those personal let
tiers cost $115. Then the average ad-
vertising expense am the $50 news
papers Of the state would run some
thing like 81 each. Some papers
would get more, others would get
nothing. That little item totals 81. 760.
About this time the state committee
wants funds for its preliminary work.
put down $50 as q contribution to the
committee sum which the shreWd
politician knows is wisely invested.
Then there is q sixty days campaign.
Make the average low-say IS q day.
covering railroad fare, hotel bills and
incidentals. That means $500 for the
campaign work.
Near the close Of the campaign, the
candidate usually gets excited. He
wants to win. He has already invest
ed extensively in political blue-slky
stock and he wants to make his nomi-
nation certain. A friend advises him
to send 10000 personal letters to the
voters. That cost $1,000.
Then comes primary day. Assume
the candidate won. He is happy and
the world looks as bright and prom
Using as the lilies Of the valley. But
the next day he sits down to figure
expenses and finds that his nomination
cost $685..
State Committee CAN.
The statewide prediction cam
paign starts. Almost Immediately he
receives an emergency call from the
state committee. The committee must
conduct a campaign-must employ
stenographers. rent offices. buy post
age stamps, pay travelling expenses
and hotel bills for speakers, and do a
hundred other things. 1t all costs
money. The now unlucky candidate
is assessed-well, on the basis of a
very honest and very reasonable COM
mittee-about $500.
The next move is to send 5000 let
tiers to workers, thanking workers who
maybe didn't work at all, on primary
day. That letter adds $3.50 to the total
expense. But 1t is regarded as good
politics. and the candidate signs his
name to the check and tries to forget
Then comes the newspapers. Posi-
bly, Laughlin's figures are a bit too
high. But assuming that the publicity
expense is an average Of IS each for
all of $50 publications-mayb q third
of which will be used-bringing the
advertising account to $4,000. There
Is also another newspaper expense
subscription. And it is estimated that
$500 can be spent In this manner
without undue extravaganza.
There is an expense Of some 5000
| for campaign cards and literature. II
a personal speech-maling campaign II
to be made, $500 more should be add
ed for travelling and hotel expenses
The total for the two campaigns ur
to this time is $10,176.
Big Personal Letter. Cost.
But it doesn't always stop here
In former campaigns, candidates To-
state office-governor or United States
lsenator-have decided that the stat
should be flooded with personal let
tiers to all Of the voters just befor'
election. There are now nearly 500,
1000 men and women in the state VIII
lare eligible to vote. The expense o
collecting the names OF these voter
would in itself amount to $500.
Did you ever stop to figure the ex
pense Of a letter to all Of these voters
No? Well. on the broad and generou
claim that every personal letter cost
five cents, 1t would cost just $4,000
to send these letters. And, what
more the idea is not beyond reason
In the campaign two years ago, ON
or two candidates sent personal letter
to every voter in the state, It wa
claimed. Some Of the voters-thou
sands Of them In fact-received thre
or four or even five letters. Some Q
these letter contained self addressed
stamped envelopes Tor reply, too
| But getting down to the propogtt10
i Of the one personal letter and tn
|Sother sstrimmi1Gus The 1an1tdAt