Campaign expenditures in 1898

About the only things different are the names and the amounts. :rofl:

What It cost Them.
Several of the candidates have filed their sworn statement of election
expenses with the County Clerk. Others are still holding back but, as
the time limit expires to-morrow night, they will all, doubtless be in
before that time. There is a wide divergence in the bills. It cost
Gulick Hougen $186.55 to be defeated for the office of Clerk of Court.
Of this amount $50 was paid to the county committee, $10 was paid for
a newspaper write up and $126.55 was paid paid (sic) out for
"refreshments", railway fares, hotel bills, etc.

John O'Hare got elected without expending a cent.

F.S. Luhman spent nothing except the $25 he paid to the county committee.
It cost Henry Schmidt a two dollar bill to be defeated in the nominating
convention.

Edwin R. Smith spent $78.40 in his unsuccessful effort to be elected
to the office of Superintendent of schools. Of this amount $50 went
to the county committee, $10 for newspaper notice and $18.40 for
"refreshments."

Joseph Willott is $93.95 poorer because of his run for member of assembly.
$25 went to the county committee, $14.50 for printing and $54.45 for
miscellaneous expenses which includes the inevitable "refreshments."

A seat in the assembly cost Joseph Gagnon $75.

Edward S. Schmitz "blew" himself for $269 in a successful attempt to be
elected district attorney. The county committe assessment and
"refreshments" for a respectable portion of this amount.

Otto Schmidt's mix-up in the ante-conventiotm (sic) campaign didn't
cost him a cent.

Fred Maresh leads the list as a "good fellow" his itemized statement
showing that he spent $274.75 in courting the good graces of that
uncrowned monarch, the American voter. There is one item of $100 in
Fred's bill which he charges up to miscellaneous expenses, such as
"refreshments."

Manitowoc Daily Herald, Manitowoc, Wis. Tuesday, December 6, 1898 P. 1

And one more article earlier:
There are many curious and amusing items in the statement of
election expenses filed by candidates. A legislative candidate
in a neighboring county has this entry on the bill "for renewing
old acquaintance, $60; for making new acquaintances $60."
Manitowoc Daily Herald, Manitowoc, Wis. Monday, November 28, 1898 P. 3

plus, those are mostly minor local offices. When it comes down to that, I got elected to the waterworks board in 2009, spending only $10 for the filing fee. (I planned to spend more money until I found out it was an unpaid position, then I really was hoping to lose).

Also, my primary opponent, Cheryl Hudspeth ran for Congress and probably spent less than $10,000 and got 32% of the vote. A respectable amount, considering that other Kansas candidates spent much more money in the 3rd and 4th districts and only got 37% of the vote.

a lot of unexplained stuff. I expect the amounts to be much less, but the reasons for expenses were fudged even back then.

Fueling American politics since at least 1898.

In 2004 when I first started working at the Democratic Headquarters, an older Democrat told me that back in the old days the Headquarters would have been full of people talking and drinking. He said the crackdown on DWIs sorta put an end to that.

But if you have a political event where you either give a speech or just mingle, you probably provide refreshments, and that could easily include some alcohol, particularly before prohibition and MADD.