Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-18
Money in Campaigns
by Frederic } uassin


Washington, ID. c., Sept IL. That the
amount OF money which IL tn be spent
in eleetng n President should become the
major issue Of the campaign and the chief
subject of speeches by national candidates.
as il recently has done, seems strange not
TO say ridiculous. OF little things like the
labor problem and the cost Of living we
hear nothing at oil, or Mt least nothing
relevant, but we have already heard several
volumes about the alleged fifteen millions,
Yet this situation is "A natural outgrowth
of our political system. In the first place.
every candidate is bound To find some
issue the discussion Of which will not
ALLEVIATE any possible supporter, and the
campaign fund is an ideal issue OF this
kind In the second place. the amount of
money which il takes 10 elect President
in this country has been growing steadily
for over half century, so that there
really is cause for alarm.
II is interesting % trace the genesis OF
the presidential campaign hmd.
LINCOLN osT Us LITTLE.
The election of Abraham Lincoln cost
the Republi cans only 500 600. The
Democrats spent as much ON Douglas
while the slave-holding wing OF the party
is said TO have spent more 10 elect John I.
Breckenridge. Four years later, the Demo
crats had little or no money with General
Mcclellan as their standard bearer while
MIR. Lincoln could have had an unlimited
fund from financial interests in the North
that believed the war should be continued
with him in the White House and the
issue with the Southern States settled
definitely. Little money was needed m
1868 or 1872 so far as the Republicans
were concerned The Democratic Party
was not in position either year to con-
duet very aggressive campaign. In the
latter wears, friends of Governor Seymour
raised fund. but IL amounted 10 nothing
compared with what General Grant had,
or could have had, to bring about his re-
election.
Big campaign funds were not the rule
until 1876 That year the supremacy OF
the Republican party was seriously
threatened because of the scandals during
the administration Of General Grant. The
Democratic party had named Samuel J..
Tilden, man who commanded admira~
tion throughout the country. Abraham ,.
Hewitt. then already man OF means, WAS
managing the campaign for the Demo
crats and Henry Watterson was helping
him and looking after things IN the South.
Nearly n million dollars was spent that
year.
More than ono million was spent IN the
campaign Of 1854 Both James g. blaine
and Grover Cleveland had hosts Of friends
and admirers among the wealthy element
and these contributed literally 10 the
partv fund Four years later, there was
the great battle over the Tariff issue. Two
million dollars were said to have been
sprnt. The figures are conservative. There
is the well-loundcd belief that the manu-
featuring interests of Pennsylvania and
New England alone raised more than this
sum not so much for party but business
reasons The figures have been mounting
ever since In the campaign OF 1892, each
party had more than "A million at ITS dis
nosal. -Four years later and again ~ 1900
MIR. Hanna had several millions ut his dis
posal 10 defeat Bryan.
now MONEY Is srEsr.
II IA now IN order 10 consider what this
money is spent for There are, first, the
legitimate campaign expenses. National
hcaduuarters has between 40 and 100
employees Mt least Their wages and the
rent amount To thousands of dollars day.
Some of these employees are absolutely
superhuous. In many instances they have
been put there to conciliate some powerful
man or faction of the party ard they rcn-
der nothing In return for their salary.
During the campaign OF 1904, former
United States Senator and friend Of MIR.
BRYAN was drawing $50 week from
| Democratic national headquarters though
| what service he rendered IN return no
body knew. The next expense IS Tor
| speakers. More men than the public
/ would imagine receive both salary ard ex-
1 penses 1t is said that Bourke Cochran
| received one thousand dollars for his reply
| to William J. Bryan in the campaign OF
| 1896. The expenses are never very light,
! either. very often more than equalling the
| salary. The distribution OF speeches IN
| printed form also costs heavily. In the
| campaign Of 1892 letter of Carl Schurz
| on the Tariff was widely distributed,
| especially among his German countrymen,
| at a cost of more than 1000.
There is also the spectacular side OF the
| campaign to be considered. New York
| and other cities have had torchlight pro.
/ cessions costing as much as S12, COO. IhreC
/ thousand dollars have been expended fol
music, decorations and the hire OF hall
| LARGER EXPENDITURES MYSTERIOUS.
! neSe, however, dit tliiN tiittipi ~
penses. They have nothing to do with tn,
| finer work of the campaign The big
money goes first into those States that arc
doubtful and then to the debatable ones
| AS a rule the doubtful States can have al
they need while the debatable ones must
| be content with the remainder. Both sides
watch the situation SO closely as to have
| an intimation when the State is doubtful
or debatable.
During the closing days of the campaign
| of 1888, both Mr.. Clarkson of the Re
publican and Calvin S. Brice of the Demo
cratic National Committee placed West
Virginia among the doubtful States. The
Democrats spent $4,000 while the Re
publicans spent $4,000 there Indiana
was, of course, another doubtful State
The nomination of Benjamin Harrison
who had represented it in the United
States Senate was one cause. The Demo
cratic nominee for Vice-President was
Allen G. Thurman, an Ohio man. The
Democrats spent 100000 trying to