Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-11-07
M. Gales Bill for Pure Elections.

One of the most important bills of the
session, an outgrowth of the lavish eX-
penditures of the last campaign, was in
troduced Monday by Representative John
E. Gale of Guilford. 1t provides that
candidates for public offices shall file
sworn statements of their expenses with
the county clerk. The bill provides
among other things
Every person who shall be a candidate
before any caucus or convention or al
any primary election for nomination for
any Office which under the constitution
or laws of this state is to be filled by
popular election, or for the Office of rep
resentative in the Congress of the United
States. shall within ten days after the
holding of such caucus convention or
primary election make out statement
in writing and file the same with the
clerk of the county in which he resides.
Such statement shall set forth in detail
each and all sums of money and other
things of value constituted, disbursed,
expended or promised by him and to the
best of his knowledge and belief by any
other person or persons with his procure
ment in his behalf. wholly or in part, in
endeavoring to secure or in any way in
connection with his nomination TO such
Office or place or in endeavoring TO secure
or defeat, or in any connection with the
nomination OF any other person or per
sons at such caucus, convention or pri-
mary election, and showing the dates
when and the persons by whom and to
whom and the purposes for which each
such contribution. payment, expenditure
or promise was made. and such candidate
shall subscribe and swear to such state
ment before an officer authorized TO ad-
minister oaths.
The clause relating to candidates at
elections is very similar including among
other things the provision the expenses
incurred ''in support of or in opposition to
any measure or proposition submitted TO
popular vote upon the same day of cleo
tion," shall be sworn to. The bill contains
the form of oath and provides
Any person falling to comply with the
provisions of the preceding sections shall
be liable to a fine not exceeding $500, TO be
recovered with costs in an action brought
in the name of the state by the states
attorney of the county of the candidates.
residence.
The provisions of this act shall not APP
ply to any candidate for nomination or
election who has contributed. disbursed,
extended, or promised less than SIS in
procuring or attempting TO procure such
nomination or election, but every can
didate at any election. who has expended
| disbursed or promised more than SIS In
| procuring or attempting to procure such
domination or election shall file sworn
statement to that effects
Candidates for the Office of representa-
| tive to the general assembly shall file a
statement required by this act with the
clerks of the respective towns In lieu OF
| filing with the county clerk,
| A candidate for justice of the peace is
exempt from this act unless requested II
writing by three or more legal voters Of
| his town, in which case he must file witt
| the town clerk. All statements of the
nature provided for in the act shall b'
subject TO inspection by all persons inter
ested, and certified copies of these state
ments shall be delivered by the clerk Il
anyone paying 10 cents each therefor.