The morning call., 1894-10-07
PURITY OF ELECTIONS.


'the purity of elections law" was modelled
upon an act Of the British Parliament
passed in 1883. This California enactment
originated with the Citizens Defense AS
socia;iop of San Francisco. upon the sug-
gestion of Joseph Britton. vice-presldent
of the Non-Partisan organization. 1t will
be u general operation for the first time
in the election to take place next month.
The British act has been productive OF
excellent results, and much is hoped from
the application of the same principle to
our California elections. The main object
is to limit the outlay of candidates TO
small fraction of the salaries of the offices
to which they aspire, and to contine their
expenditures to strictly legitimate pur-
poses. Other provisions are included in
our new law to further insure purity OF
elections, prevent fraud and to put candi-
dates of small means as far as possible on
an equality with wealthy competitors.
By this enactment the expenditure of
any candidate, for all election purposes, is
limited to per cent OF the total amount of
the salary for the full term of the Office.
II the office be Que in which the emolument
consists of fees and not salary the outlay
by the candidate must not exceed $3.50.
The law contains number of other pro-
visions of like nature designed to reach
all possible cases.
1t is further provided that the election
expenses in behalf Of any candidate shall
be confined to such legitimate purposes as
printing. holding public meetings. advertis-
ing, postage, etc., all of which are specified
in the act. Within few weeks after the
official canvass of the results of the cleo
ton each candidate and each campaign
committee must file sworn statements. set
ting forth in detail the amounts expended,
for what purposes, and TO whom the sew
eral sums were paid. Numerous other
stringent provisions are added to prevent
evasion of the law. One of the penalties
for violation of the law in the case of
successful candidate is forfeiture Of the
Office to which he is elected. This makes
the risk too great to be lightly incurred, as
the watchfulness of rival candidates or
parties is to be expected. For this reason
the politicians are showing wholesome
fear of the law. and in the various party
conventions the necessity of guarding
against any open violation of its provisions
was enjoined on all concerned.
1t has long been notorious that the out
lay of candidates for the Legislature as
well as for municipal Offices has 10 many
instances exceeded the salaries of the
positions they sought. The average ex-
penditure of candidates for the Assembly
from this city has scarcely been less than
$1,000 each, though the entire pay of the
regular biennial session OF sixty days is
but $3.50. In the case Of certain NUM-
cipal positions, notably those of Super
yisors, the expenses of candidates have,
with rare exceptions, been scandalously
disproDortionate to the legitimate rewards
of Office. 1t is well known to those ac-
ouainted with the inner history Of the
campaign of 1892 in this city that all bat
two or three of the Republican candidates
for Supervisors paid excessively large sums
into the campaign fund and in other ways
to secure election.
One candidate for Supervisor expended
$4,000 The next highest contribution was
$4,000.
The third in the list was not far behind,
with $500.
A fourth candidate was willing to put in
$4,000.
Still another thought that he could well
afford to contribute $500.
W. iDc Sdulb DUdlu cdCn
cheerfully contributed $500.
Another pair, perhaps not less willing
if less wealthy, each paid in $780,
As the pay of Supervisors is but 500 a
month, and no small amount of time and
labor is requisite for the due discharge of
their duties. large contributions of this
sort naturally excite suspicion. No doubt
the expectation is in almost every instance
that the 10 oney spent so freely for election
purposes is TO be regaiDed with large in
crease from the plumber of the public.
| The purity of elections law should be
vigorously enforced. Very likely there
will be many attempts to evade it by the
| bosses and their minioDs, SO that the
friends of good government and honest
| elections must be vgilant. In the case OF
| the Non Partisan ticket however. there is
nothing to fear. Its candidates for Super
visors have been carefully chosen and are
above suspicion. 1t is understood tina,
they will make no individual outlay for
election purposes, and none but the most
necessary expenses will be incurred by the
| Non-Partisan organization. 1t has nc
room and no employment for the heelers
and ward strikers that fatten upon politi.
cal pap in a campaign year.
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