The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-02-16
CANDIDATES EXPENSES.

1t is said that a bill will be intro.
duced in the Legislature to compel
all candidates for public Office to
file sworn statement of his cam
paign expenses with the state de-
partment at Harrisburg. Such
bill ought to pass. One of the great
est public evils of the present day
is the corrupt use of money in cleo
tions. There are laws now which
prohibit bribery or any other use OF
money for the purpose of controlling
votes dishonesty. and yet there is
scarcely primary or general elec-
ton in this state where these laws
are not openly and fagrantly vic
lated They have become dead
letters. and the perpetrators of un.
lawful acts in connection with elec.
tions do not hesitate to boast openly
of their misdeeds, because they
know that they will not be punished.
1t has now reached a point where
the sum of money necessary to run
for almost any Office is so large,
that no man of ordinary means can
afford to be candidate. 1t is said
that certain candidate for Congress
a few years ago spent as much as
forty thousand dollars in his cam
paign, and even the judiciary is not
exempt from charges of political
corruption. Twenty FIVE years ago
jud cial candidates were selected
for their legal learning and ability.
They paid for printing their ballots,
and gave modest contribution to
the party committee in each county
in the district, and the entire cam
paign expenses amounted to only a
few hundred dollars. Now. in dis
tricts where there is a contest for
the nomination, enormous sums
are expended before the primary
election. There have been instances
in the state where it was currently
understood and never denied, that
as much as twelve THOUSAND dollars
was used in securing a judicial
nomination.
And so with other offices. Not
infrequently a sum equalling the
salary tor a year or two is spent in
securing the nomination for county
Offices. That this is all wrong no
one will attempt to deny. That so
much money can be used honestly
in an election no one believes. Can
didates themselves would be greatly
pleased if they could be relieved
from the extortion that is forced
upon them by the prevailing Gus.
tom. We have never been able to
understand why candidates do not
agree among themselves that they
will use no money in their cam
paigns except for legitimate pur.
poses, and what these purposes
are, the law clearly defines.
The expenditure of large sums of
money by candidates leads to a de-
mand for higher salaries, and some
times leads to dishonest actions in
order to get back the money used
in securing a nomination or cleo
tion. In either event it comes out
of the pockets of the people and
they are the losers. Usually the
only gamers by the lavish use of
money are the bar-rooms and the
political heelers, for that is where
most of the corruption fund finds
its way.
If such bill as that mentioned
should be introduced it ought to
pass, and if passed it ought to be
rigidly enforced. In that event
the political corruption that has so
long stained the fair name of our
state might at least be checked,
and we might again approach the
day where merit and ability are the
principal factors in the selection of
the servants of the people who hold
pt1blic Office