Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10
Mr.. Hughes Corrupt Practices Act.

ALL A4o6hSo SoAA uPI A4oSIASSo &ASS'
Mr.. Hughes makes an extraordinary
recommendation for a corrupt practices act,
in which he advises that the amount of
money contributed by any individual candi
date be limited to small sum. Ii there is
no provision limiting the total amount of
money spent. this suggestion of Mr.. Hughes
would merely compel all candidates to be
under obligations for their campaign funds
to the financial interests who deal in poll
tics. If. for example. million dollars is
still permitted to be spent in a state cleo
ton. and the candidate might only con-
tribute $4,000, there would remain 1919 900
to be raised. for which the candidate must
be indebted to those who invest their money
in politics and in candidates.
II would call Mr.. Hughes suggestion
measure to prevent any financial independ-
ence on the part of the candidates, and to
compel candidates to be under obligations
to large financial interests for their cam
paign funds.
THE public knows sufficiently we'll what
kind of services those large financial in
terestS require from elected officials in re-
turn for the campaign contributions that
have helped to elect them Therefore
maintain that the proper method Is to limit
strictly the amount of money which may
be spent on an election. and not to limit
merely the amount which a candidate may
himself contribute in an effort to be free
and Independent of corporation control.
My bill is framed to limit strictly the
amount of money that can be spent and
the uses to which it can be put, and my
bill defines any other expen iiture of money
as bribery. 1t Furthermore contains
clause which / think will be absolutely eff
fective in the detection OF this bribery and
improper use of money. The person guilty
of this improper use of money is, under my
bill, punishable by fine of not more than
$4,000 nor less man $1,000, half of which
amount shall go to the i.-former, together
with immunity. Thus, there will be con-
slant reward offered of from 5000 to 81, geo
in every case of the improper use OF money
in elections. And, moreover. the man who
gives the bride automatically offers the
reward for his own detection.
Offers a Reward to Convict.
Every time a man offers brbe or COM
mits one of these acts defined as bribery,
he thereby offers to any one aware of his
felonious act reward of from $1,000 to
$1,000 to convict him of this felony:
There is further clause II my bill
which offers a somewhat similar punish
ment for false registration and Illegal vot-
ing. According to this provision, upon con-
vlction of the accused, the informer secures
one-half of the fine of S10J0 TO So, 800 and
immunity. Thus, continual reward of
from $3.50 to $3.50 is offered by the election
criminal for his own detection There are
also Jail penalties for the crimes and |
am absolutely positive that if this bill were
passed u would prevent the corrupt use
of money in elections, which as have said
and believe is the most serious menace to
our republican form of government
Il say that the use of money by corpor-
atoms is not the only evil that threatens
us; the use of money by any Individual
or any collection of individuals, may be as
great as improper and harmful to our
institutions and to our political independ-
ence.
This morning we all read in the papers
that Mr.. Rockefeller had given SO 600. eco
Tor puplic educat1on-a most patriotic and
pra1seworthy thing for him to do. 1 cannot
commend him too highly for such an act
and yet We cannot help feel the possbili-
ties of the misuse of such great wealth to
control the government under our present
lax election laws. If Mr.. Rockefeller can
give So, 100000 for a certain purpose
give one-fifth or one-tenth of that sum to
preserve political conditions that make the
accumulation of such great wealth as this
possible. Six millions or even three millions
would go far toward carrying state or even
national elections. And if Mr.. Rockefeller
should be too highminded to devote any
part Of his great wealth to such purposes
there are many multi-millionaires in this
country whose wealth has been secured by
political favors and special privileges who
would spend millions to continue the oppor-
| tunities for further political favors, and to
preserve their special privileges.
Prevent Use Of Money in Elections.
I'VE should not and do not. as American
| citizens seek to interfere with the proper
| reward in business for industry. enterprise
and financial sagacity, no matter how great
/ that reward may be. but as American citi-
| zens We do wish to prevent the control of
our government by powerful financial inter-
| ests, who use 1t for their selfish ends and
| personal advantages. We do wish to pre-
vent the corrupt use of money In elections,
| to limit the power of money in elections,
\ and to do this we should adopt most definite
| and drastic measures. / am confident that
my bill would stop the corrupt use of money