Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-02-01
PRIMARY Law
|NTERP RETEO
BY GEN. BYERS
IOWA ATTORNEY GENERAL Ex.
PLAINS THE DUTIES OF CANDl-
DATES AND THE LIMITATIONS
IMPOSED BY THE ACT

'rss
y What Candidate May Do.
Pay for the publication of the y
announcement of his candidacy.
Employ clerks and steno-
y graphers to prepare campaign
material upon his orders and
send it it persons whose names
y have been furnished by him.
Employ liveryman to con-
duct him to places designated by
himself, but not to take him to
places suggested by the livery ="
man. VI
Utilize the clippings Of news
papers favorable to his candi-
dacy by causing them to bc re- !"
printed, at his expense, by 81
job printer. ~
" What he is Forbidden to do.
TO pay newspapers to publish
matter favorable to his candi. =
* dacy.
TO cause to be specially circu-
lated copies of newspapers con-
tanning matter favorable to his
* candidacy.
+! cIerk,stenoarapher or politician,
to work in his behalf among his
(the employe's) friends and
supporters.
. = .
Des Moines, jan, 31.-In his opinion
on the new Iowa primary law, sent to
the governor yesterday afternoon, At
tOrney General H. w. Byers declares
tnat the principal object of the new
act is the prevention or u citizen from
making commodity of his duty to
the public. Candidates are held to
strict account in seeking support and
| penalties are prescribed both for the
buyer and seller of influence.
The end of his lengthy opinion
Mr.. Byers recommends that every
voter secure a copy of the pamphlet
containing the law and study it care
! fully He suggests that an hour be de-
voted to it every evening until it's pro-
visions have been understood. It is
Exceedingly clear, he declares, and
there should be little difficulty in mas
tering its every provision.
Dealing with the live" topic Of the
limitations placed upon candidates,
Mr.. Byers writes as follows:
Seeks Unbiased Expression.
Section so prohibits persons from
giving Or receiving compensation for
political services and attaches severe
penalties for its violation, the object
of the section and the intent of the
legislature being to secure the un
biased expression of the voter at the
primary election.
1T is of a vital importance to the
state that only persons who are com
petent and fit should be selected tc
act as public servants, and it is the
duty of every citizen to assist, In sc
far as his situation and condition will
permit, in making such selection, and
his cnoice should be uninf1uenced by
any other reward than the reward that
comes to all alike from the faithful
discharge Of public duty. To this end
the legislature in the adoption of this
section makes it crime in Iowa fol
any person to perform political serv
ice for pay, or to accept pay for such
service, Or to pay, offer or give pay fol
such service in the interest of a can
didate for Office
May Hire Clerks.
1T was not the intent of the legis
lature to prevent persons from accept
ing pay for performing service for {
candidate which is in nc sense politl
cal; that is to say, candidate for OF
flee may legally and properly emplo,
clerks and stenographers TO take hi!
dictation, write his letters, copy hi.
speeches, take clippings from news
papers, mail mis- letters, and send on
, his speeches, clippings and announce
ments to persons whose names ar,
furnished by the candidate, and per
form ali other service which com,
within their legitimate occupation o
calling. He may legally and properl,
rent headquarters, pay for halls il
which to make speeches, pay tn,
printer for putting his speeches il
type for distribution, lire liverymen t,
J drive him from place 10 place, and pa,
the railway company for his transpo1
tation. Such services are innocen
and the candidate, or his friends fo
him, may properly pay for the same
and the persons who perform sucn sci
vices may legally and properly receiv
pay therefor.
"On the other hand, it would be un
lawful to pay a stenographer or clerl
or any other person, for writing letter
to his friends soliciting their supper
Tor candidate for Office; or to pa
: for managing campaign, person fo
; making speeches, interviewing voters
| soliciting votes, getting voters to tn
poles, and other like Services.
Publicity Limited.
!. 1T would also be unlawful for
A newspaper to accept pay for an &C
e vertisement for candidate urgin
5 reasons for his nomination. ETC.; no
3 can newspaper lawfully publish 10
t pay matter disparaging candidate
s Nor can candidate, or any one fa
I him, lawfully cause newspapers cor
tanning matter favorable to his cand