Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-06-16
COSTS MILLIONS 10
ELECT A PRESIDENT
Huge Sums Expended by National Com.
mittecA Of Two Parties.

WttecA al TWO ISrttcs.
| Fifty million dollars. At loves, es,i.
mate. will be spent i'll 1915 on our quad.
rennial political jas. II is a moderate
estimate. for. by hcims Ntt,c Jar.
! fetched. it could be doubled, II may.
| Indeed, amount to = cool 100000. 600.
But total expenditure OF $4,000. 900
! means an expense ~ $50 per voter
and so cents per capita tor the entire
population |; can he defended on tho
Tom Reed theory that this is a $780,
100000 country.
Laws OF recent wears enacted by Con-
Eress and most OF the States rcQuirins
the films OF sworn statements ~ the
origin and disposition ~ campaign
funds have lately, for the first time I'm
the history of the nation, made avail
axle fairly accurate data on the high
cost OF politics in this country
Politics come highest in presidential
election years. not only because OF the
large expenditures Of the national COM
mittee. hut because three-fourths Of
the 100000 and more elective otfccrS-
national. State, county and municipal
are fled AT ar about the same time
indeed. scarcely more than per cen,
Of the total cost OF politics for the
country as whole this year will he
borne by the big party committees
Some 100000 individuals are now, OF
soon will be, seeking offices in the
United States All will spend some
Nv
others for a great many OF them
There will be several thousands cam
paiCn committees" OF various kinds and
quality.
The taxpayers directly will have to
take care of the largest single item OF
expense. that for the election nachin.
cry. In New York State alone the cost
OF registering the voters and conduct.
ing the November election will be
about S2.sno.oo0. For all the States II
Will n 1,SS
600. Several hold their State elec.
lions on dates other than for selecting
a President; one. Maine. has differ
ent day for choosing Representatives.
in Congress. This makes the election
machinery almost doubly costly in
those state. Most Of the town and
city elections. which will take place in
ree-fourths of all the municIpalitie
thi swear will be on other dates.
The expenses of the national COM
mittees of the two big parties rarely
fall below 100000 and frequently GO
beyond s5.o0o,o00 in presidential
year
1t is generally admitted that the Re
under the leadership of Mark Hanna.
hrSt made the room the limit" in
spending money. The funds used to
elect Mckinley have been estimated AT
from S3,ooo.oo0 to $1,000. o00. They
probably were nearest the last figures
However. memoranda left by Corne-
Illus y. Bliss. who was trea surer of the
committee. indicate that the funds
passing officially through the COM
Inlttees hands aggregated only S3,-
'o"."n" According to the same date
the funds employed to rc-elect Nc
kinley in 1900 was a "trine below
S%.0o0, 900
The Republican National Committee
usually disposes of the most funds.
but some Democratic committees havs
been superb spenders. In 1892 not less
than s?,000.00o. perhaps a great deal
more was used In electinE Cleveland
All or whose races were engineered by
men who were adopts in raising and
generous in contributing political
funds
There is no authoritative data on
democratic expenditures except for
the campaigns of 1908 and 1912 when
me expenses OF the committee approx
imated Sl.oG0,O00 for each year
George p. Cortelyou, who was chair
man, is authority for the statement
that the Republican National Commit,
tee disposed OF little more than So.
100000 to elect Roosevelt in 1904. The
siec'ion OF President Taft in 1905 cost
nearly as much.
There are good data on all the cam
paigns of 1912, both before and follow
ing the conventions
fh"se who sought the Democratic
nomination that year did so at a total
,os'' In round figures, of $4,000,
divided as follows:
Woodrow Wilson s26o000
h"mp clark $1,000. $4,000
Oscar Underwood ~ $4,000
Judson Harmon. ...... 10000
The campaigns Of Taft and Roose-
vel, for the Republican nomination
cost 100000 or so more, and the sum
was divided about equally between
them
Statements filed by all the commit
tees Of parties running Dresid.ntiaI
''"o'ra'"S IN 1872 show receipts and
expenditures as follows:
Dsburse-
Rcceipts ments.
nePuo!ic"n Sl.o16.391.51 Sl.071.54S5T
I,ehocr"'l' l.i59.44o.33 1,134.s4S.0o
Progressive" sI6.672.73 $500. 90
I @"claiIS'. .... 51.5S096 66,597s2