Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1909-07-16
TO THE PUBLIC.
Statement of the States Attorney.

| Statement of the States Attorney
There was passed at the last session Of
the General Assembly of Maryland Chap
| tiers 1877 and 1922 of the Acts of the Cen
eral Assembly of Maryland, for the year
1908, governing and regulating Primary
Elections. Said laws apply to this county
as well as to other sections of the State.
These laws are new and contain strict and
sweeping provisions against all forms OF
corruptions and violations,
deem it appropriate before the Primary
Elections of the political parties to call the
attention of the people of all political par
ties to these laws and the severe punish
ment provided for their infraction. Under
Section 2 of Article 80 of the Code Of
Public General Laws of Maryland, | am of
the opinion that infOrmers are entitled to
one-half of any fines that may be imposed
for violations of these laws. These laws
meet long-felt need, and the observance
and the enforcement of the same will add
tons. This Office will do all it can to strictly
enforce these laws.
Section III of said Chapter 1922 applies
to both Primary and General Elections and
provides as follows:
THE following persons shall be guilty Of
corrupt practices and shall be punished in
accordance with the provisions of this Act.
Every person who shall. directly or indi-
rectly, by himself or by another, give or
offer or promise to any person any money,
Gift, advantage. preferment, entertainment,
aid, emolument or any valuable thing what
ever, for, the purpose of inducing or pro-
curing any person to vote, or refrain from
voting, for or against any person. or for or
against any measure or proposition at any
election or primary election or political
convention or session of the General As
sembly of Maryland or either House thereof.
Every person who shall, directly or indi-
rectly, receive. accept, request or solicit
from any person, candidate, committee. as
ISOLATION, organization or corporation, any
| money, gift, advantage, preferment, aid,
emolument, or any valuable thing whatsO-
| ever. for the purpose of inducing or pro-
| curing any person to vote, or refrain from
voting, for or against any person, or for or
| against any measure or proposition at any
| election or primary election or political
convention. Every person who, in consid-
Grafton of any money. gift. advantage
! preferment. aid, em0lument. or any valua-
Bile thing whatsoever, paid, received, &C
cepted or promised to the advantage OF
himself or any other person, shall vote, OF
refrain from voting, for or againt any per-
son, or for or against any measure at any
such election, caucus, or primary election
or political convention. Every person
who SHALL directly or indirectly, pay. give
contribute or promise any money or other
valuable thing, to defray or toward defray-
ing the costs or expenses of any campaign
or election. to any person. committee, COM
/ pany, club, organization or association
| other than to q treasurer or political
| AGENT; but this subsection, or paragraph
shall not apply to dues regularly paid fol
membership in any Incorporated political
club if all money expended by such clut
for or in connection with the costs or ex.
penses Of any campaign or election shall
be paid out by it only through treasurer
or political agent as provided in this Act
or to any expenses for postage, kilograms
teleph0ning, stationery, printing, express
age, or travelling and board incurred b,
any candidate for Office or nomination
thereto, so far as they are permitted by
this Act. Every person who shall, directl,
or indirectly. by himself or through an
other person. make a payment, or promise
of payment, to treasurer or pOlitica
agent in any other name than his own
and every treasurer or political agent who
shall knowingly receive payment, or pro
mise of payment, and enter the same Of
cause the same to be entered in his ac
counts in any other name than that Of thu
person by whom such payment is made
Every person who being an employer, pays
his employees the salary or wages due ir
pay envelopes" upon which there is writ
ten or printed or in which there is enclosed
any political motto, device or argument
containing threats, express or implied, in
tended or calculated to influence the polit
ical opinions or actions of such employees
or within ninety days of an election o
primary election puts. or otherwise exhib
its in the establishment or place where hi,
employees are engaged in labor any hand
bill or placard containing any threat. no
tice or information that If any particular
ticket or candidate is elected or defeated
work in his place, or establishment, will
cease in whole or in part his establishment
be closed up or the wages of his employees
reduced or other threats, express or i'm
Piled intended or calculated to influence
the political opinions or actions of his EN-
plOyes. Every person who, before, during
or after an election or primary election by
himself or by any other person, either di
rectly or indirectly, gives or provides, OF
pays, wholly or in part, the expenses Of
giving or providing any meat, drink, enter
tainment or provisions to or for any person
for the purpose of influencing that person
or any other person, to give or refrain from
giving his vote at the election or primary
election, or to influence his vote in any
other way therein. or on account Of his
having voted, or refrain from voting, OF
being about to vote or refrain from voting
and every elector who accepts the same
or any Of the same. for any Of the pur-
poses aforesaid. Every person who shall
be guilty of any corrupt practice, as
aforesaid, shall be fined not less than
three hundred dollars. nor more than one
thousand dollars. or be imprisoned for moi
more than one year. or both, and shall be
ineligible to any public Office, or public
employment, for the period of four years
from and after the time Of the commission
of such Offense."
Section l72 of said Chapter 1922 applies
to both the primary and general elections
and provides against all corporations Civ
ing, contributing, furnishing, lending Or
providing money or any thing else to any
political party or TO any candidate for pub
lie office or for nomination thereto or to
| ~ tkOlft