West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-08-02

tcc~ in some dutau. but was ver, met
ivctNe. requiring merely reports OF the
expenditures of candidates there being no
regulation or limitation concerning cx-
pcndlturcs 10y political committees
The Corrupt Practices laws passcd In
the Following wear by Colorado u.aws 1891
2. leo and Michigan U.aws 1881 Char ioO
followed very closely the Now York Act
IN us definition % corrupt practices. add
ng reqt iremcnt that party commiiio.s
'snsf also rcpor' au receipts cad crpcndifarss
for ramp0irn purposes
In lAt2. Michigan enacted much more
elaborate statute. making provision not
only that campaign committees should
report their receipts aud expenditures and
regulating the details Of the accounts OF
such committees. but that al expenditures
on tehGf of candidates. with few eNCep-
uons must be made through hc party cow
ntftres. Proper provisions were also made
Tor the enforcement of the act
1his law went further Ia tho direction
or the English Corrupt Practices Act Of
lSS than any OF the other statutes above
mentioned. Owing TO conditions Incident
10 our political system. and particularly
In view OF the number Of candidates voted
Tor NJ the same time and upon the same
ticket, II is impossible 60 follow closely
the English law
The Massachusetts law. which went into
erect on August list 1892 II entitled. AN
act TO prevent corrupt practices at cleo
tons and TO provide for publicity In cleo
fioH erpCBses"
II permitted candidate a. spend. riihp,t nc
strtet6n crccpt a. 10 certain personal rrpsnSes
anu sum ~ money a. secure his nomination or
election. Dfnrided that thc expenditures Dc
egeetod through politodi committee.
The Massachusetts, law defines political
committees as including every commit
tee or combination OF three or more per-
sons who shall aid or promote the success
or defeat OF political party or principle
M aftsaNn s.NI f~.lr
part I'm the nomination. election or defeat
or candidate FOR public office" II fur
ther provides that every individual who
otherwise than under the authority and
In behalf OF "a political committee re-
cciNes OF disburscs money Tor any OF tho
above-named purposes. shall be subject TO
the requirements OF the act the same as
political committee or It's treasurer q"
Every such committee Is required TO have
treasurer. who must within thirty DAYS
after an election, N the total receipts or
expenditures of the committee exceed
twenty dollars, file sworn statement
'seftiH0 forth al me receipts. erpeHdifurcs
Disbursements aud liabilities OF me commit
fec and Of crerD officer or other person acting
under fts authority and IN ffs behalf The
vouchers must state the particulars OF ex-
pense I'm respect 90 every payment over
Ave dollars. Expenditures for certain oh
tects, specified In the Act, such as station
cry. postage. telograms and other similar
date need not be Included I'm his statement
The effect 81 this law is TO secure almost
complete publicity and public record H re-
specf 10 expenditures for The nomination aud
election Of candidates. Political committees
are forbidden To solicit contribution from
candidates. who however may make a
voluntary payment OF money for
the promotion OF the principles Of the pnr-
" which the committee represents. and
for the general purposes of the commit
tee This provision II directed against
the practice OF political assessments
n violation OF the provisions OF tho law
Is punishable by fine not exceeding 81 900
and In certain cases with the alternative
OF imprisonment for not more than one
year Any person. upon the petition Of
any candidate voted for. or Of any five
qualified voters. may be compelled 20 file
correct and proper statement by the
courts
In the year following the passage of tho
Massachusetts, law. the Lcgisla turcs Of
California CLaws 1893 Chap I'D and Mis-
sour G-aws 1898. p 1JO passed corrupt
practices laws. which went a step In ad-
vance OF the Massachusetts statute In
California, the expenditures by or for a
candidate were limited: and by the Mis-
souri, law a maximum was placed upon
the total expenditure of candidate di-
rectly or through committees The Cali
fornia law was prepared with special care
and Is more detailed In It's provisions than
Missouri and California. and I'm Kansas
reports of both candidates and committees
are required
The Kansas statute Oaws 1899. Chap.
III. repealed 1888 was very similar 20 that
Of Missouri. with the exception that there
was no restriction upon the maximum
amount Of expenditure permitted. Tho cx-
tension OF this class OF legislation from
1892 TO 1886 was very rapid In the latter
year. six states. In addition 10 the seven
already mentioned. adopted legislation re-
quiring publicity In respect TO campaign
expenses. The Arizona law U.1ws 1876
Chap. 2D and that OF North Carolina
O4aws 1895, Chap 1870 were not so ad-
vanced In their provisions as the Missouri
law, resembling rather the comparatively
Ineffective New York law The Arizona
statute. however contains a provision
similar 20 that Of Colorado. requiring that
party committees as well as candidates
shall report campaign receipts and ex-
penses.
a law passed In Kentucky (Chap. s2O
retained the general features of the Mas
sachusctts law. but omitted much OF the
detail 20 ho found In the latter act.
Nevada Q.aws 1895 Chap. 10D copied
the California law with slight changes I'm
respect 10 the maximum OF expenditures
permitted which was somewhat lower
penled Gaws 1890. Chap. 103).
The Michigan statute which has been
referred To- as comparatively deficient aud
Ineffective. was repealed In 1901 tChap CD.
The Montana law passed Ia 1886 (Penai
Code 1898. Sec 20 NJ follows tho Massa-
chusetts law. but imposes limitations upon
the personal expenses and upon the CON
tributlOns Of candidates.
The Minnesota law OF that year O.awa
1896. Chap NO. which in substance foI.
lows the Missouri statute. was In one re-
spect the most complete that had been
adopted az that time ThesfOllowing very
detailed definition Of legitimate expenses
following the practice Of the English act
was made,
- For tho personal travelling expenses
OF the candidate
"2 For the rent ~ hail or rooms for the
delivery ~ speeches relative 20 principles
or candidates fro any pending election and
for the renting OF chairs and other fur
niturc properly necessary 20 81 such halls
or rooms for use for such purposes
"5 For the payment Of public speakers
and musicians at public meetings and
their necessary travelling expenses
IS Printing and distribution Of lists Of
candidates or sample tickets. speeches or
addresses. by pamphlets. newspa pers or
circulars relative 10 candidates or polit-
ical issues. cards handbills. posters or
announcements
"5 For chaiiengers az the polls az cleo.
tioug
20 For copying and classification OF
'7 For mokirg canvasses Of voters
"s For postage. telegraph telephone or
other public messenger service
"9 For clerk hire at the hcadruartcre
or office Of such committee
go For conveying iunrm or disabled
voters 90 and from the polls"
Ia 1906 Utah and ohio were added 10
the rapidly growing fist OF States that had
adopted more ~ less satisfactorv corrupt
practices acts Nrhc Utah act Gawa 1856
Chap 5O merely required that candidates
and committees report their election ex-
pouditurcs
The ohio law 0.awe of 1905 IsO was
known as th' Garfield Corrupt Practices
Act 70 provided that thc crndldatgs exc
pcndituras should te limited t0 fi00 for
five thousand voters or less hut should
Wouldn't il be we'll to inquire