The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-03-13

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II; i. VS. 81 ,l rs
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ggOpJ1IptF
HI l0Ass I.
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Sqilt r n pre-
Sparport OF lon teQ1Ir pub.
siioIty poet to iSn expb,id ltutes
Is 10 secnrc the trecteus OF elections from
iEprpTSr q this end Il theY ms.
Edirect 5rcstralnts Of the Corrupt Practices
i Acts arg more en- cctunl than the directiI
prohibitions and penalties ofstlt,ites, Fed.
eral or, State penaliZing bribery. IN
~ The adequacy OF; existing laws TO punishli
one proved guilty Sof bribery may be adj;
mitted as \ a genernlg proposition That
specific legislation of this nature has not
proved effective to protect the free eSer-ll
else of the franchise from tho undue In
fluence OF campaign expenditures must
also be admitted. It Is u crime which lis
not Srea dily4 susceptible OF direct proof,
The remedy sought In the statutes already
cited and inithe suggested Federai,legisla.
ton Is rather one of prevention by indi-i
rcctlon. It Is the Limitation and regula-i
ton OF the possible. sources and agencies.
of&corruptlon which istpfi primary pruc-S
tical Importance, The chief lnduccment
| to briberySmust be removed by throwing
safeguards about the present irresponsl-
ble,y use of campaign funds. Il The, chief
remedy proposed by such lcgislatfonsis
publicity, not purely police or penal rcgu-}
islatlon OF the grosser forms OF bribery.
LIT cnn not; be successfully cpntcnded
that Congress has not Unconstitutional pow
1, tr;to; Insure, by enforcing publicity an
TEND which In the exercise OF its undonbt-.
| ed{authority 1t has sought ITO reach by
l more direct but less effective tegislntIon..;s
r. The SuprcmtaC Court has declared !; n Z "
3aS@".If this government isfanything more
4 than mere. aggregation OF delegated
Y agents of other States and govcrnmeNts&
!: each Of which Is superior 10 The general
7 gpverhmenttEit 1T must have tho power to
11Sprotcct tho elections on which dts exist;
sicnce depends from violcnce$nnd corrun-
d lions !, ',,'i5s5E 81 q n
sii.lfthjs be 90, nMd it Is not doubted \ dics
syich powers annulled because an cleo tor
for State oficersi held at the sitnle Time
and place? Is 1t any; less Imperial q that
81 the cleetidlt9of members Of Cpngress
should he tho FREQ choice. OF NIL the elEcsT
+ ors. because State officers are to he lGet-
Z cd at tho same time2 vi Il 4 Z 3..tt
:; SIN u repnhlicans government Ike Gi:Is.i
where poll tica power Is reposed iin2rtpra-5
t'sentntivts Of the entire body Of tho linoy
N piey chosen a short Intervals by pppnlnr3
elections, the temptations 10 control these
tjseGcions by violence ntid by corruption
n are{n constant source cf5uAnger. 4 $50,
'Tf'1fithe goycrnment.of tho United Stntps
n hns within Its constitutional domain mo
j nuthorityi7to provide against these evils,
~ II the very sources ofspower may be Nnt-I
spncd by corruption orscontrolledi by Nlp-
lentc and outrage, without legal restraint
!thcn, Indeed. Is the country In danger and
It's best powers. its highest. purposes. tho
: hopes which 1t inspires. and the love
(which ,enshrines It, are nj the mercy Of
= the combinations OF those WIN resiect no
fright but hrnte force m the ONO hand,
II md unprlncircd corruptiOnists. nn3tthe
y other. dlo U. s., p.d COLD { Il 55t s{ q
:. Upon all existing precedent and M lprl-
, iva Federal statute forhtlding tho secret
= ieSpcuiituH9Uf money TO lhilueiIce Nl,5eitc-
i, tioiI att&whlGh.t IN congresS,upn IS To be
tchOsGns #Ewnuld be valid and cttGGtW,l8 y
/, compel publicity in5rcsDtGt % all SSI,t9idlt
, lures jtcrdns to influence Etlcctipngn t
ann ca Yltl!latc ut such election ,lils .sasttl
= include Presidential electors N llffie
rtthnmbersnFit the States hnyi1;; n ltttlflS no
CURED publicity OF otp6ulttrc9 BIZ 10
9 ESllticll State committees Gang ns3sinay. on
: such initiative. require Gf polttlc'tl Gptn:
: :. 7mittccs engaged In promOllas The c!,HIioT
, Of sPresidcntinli and Congressional eahdi,
q dates a similar publicity, such eaEtlpat
being held the same time
I ~ syt5 vi. ataS5's y IS a S.3 aFtd
. Concurrent enactmcnts could he nGap;ct
= In the$sevcral Suites, In accordance viii
, the encouraging tendency Ot the lcSlsn,
y ton OF tho fifteen States already. enunier
= nted.I "a u i a. Z; "a Y II.
llt Is especially Incumbent upon the Stat,
y y of New York. having, in 1870, tIkcn til,
q !nitiative in this form of legislation. to Il
!, once supplement Its deficient and inctTec
~ tive law. New York, mn important icentr'
- olpolItical .nctivltyin nationa! campaigns
"A should place itself In line with tho mos
= y, advnnced legislation of other States. sow
y Ing to the failure Of the New York stnttit
"a to require. any! statement from politicti
- or campaign committees, II ls possible 7
- avoid publicity In respect to expenditure
ia for any amount. or, for my purposes. ~
70 I'M irresponsible committee and mot tn
e candidate can be made. the medium or dis
&. hursements. evasion OF the:existing law
n invited. Should publicity&h he required o
" committees. under penalty'bf forfeiture. .
ls office and other effective! punishments
l. such MS are provided In several States. III
" New York law would be rendered opera
y tive. II & III Sc s tx W. II ~
l. wi. 4 Y
Should publicity OF expenditures by pc
ct lltical committees have tho effect Of rt
y ducIns campaign contributions. polite,
rs machinery and party efficiency would nc
Sc be harmed. The reduction would cutto
ny tho camp followers, whose slight part
ct | affiliations serve no other purpose than !
ut give occasion for utterly useless AMI ca
n