Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1909-02-24
INVESTIGATION
RESUMED YESTERDAY
Continued from First Page.)

it, that we are not investigating a
particular person, and until charge
is preferred we can t do that We
investigating the alleged corrupt
use of money
| ''Bring before US some allegation
of corruption and let us investigate
| it and bring this matter to a head
| here Why should we dodge that is
sue for one moment l am willing
and l consider it my duty as a mem
! Der of this committee to punish cor
ruption wherever it will be found,
and you will not find me technical
in the way of doing that; but 1 do
want to know where these alleged
corruptions are, from the person who
brings the charge. so that it can be
investigated. / don't know what these
are, and l think that I have a right
to be informed at an early date, and
this committee has a tight to know
before we ramify any further into the
generalities of the expenditure of
money in campaigns.
Former candidates Cook, Hatton
McGovern. and Brown, as we'll
as Senior Stephenson appeared before
the committee and testified as to their
own expense accounts and gave their
opinions in general upon the conduct
of a campaign. Mr.. Cook testified
that belated accounts, settled after his
statement had been fled, added
$13 1913 thereto, making his total ex-
pense in the campaign $40. 293. 80.
Mr.. Hatton also reported an addi-
tional expenditure of So, 668. 80, max
ing total for him of $50, 082 OF.
The greater part of one day was
devoted by this committee to the ex
animation of the three witnesses who
were called--Neal Brown, Mr.. Cook
and Mr.. Hatton--on more or less
academical questions relating to the
primary law All three testified that
under the law a candidate who sought
to carry on an organized campaign in
all the counties of the state would be
compelled to spend large amount
of money.
Mr.. Cook said that 5000, 900 could
be spent in a prefectly Legitimate way
and Mr. Brown testified that any
amount of money could be SO spent,
particularly by very wealthy man.
Mr.. Hatton said he deprecated the use
of large sums of money Mr.. Hatton
said, however, that it was difficult to
draw the line between excessive and
reasonable expenditures. In Milwau-
kee county alone Mr.. Hatton testified
he spent over 81, 600.
when l went into the campaign
1 certainly expected that if | won
clean plurality, would become the
candidate of the parry and elected by
the legislature, he said. "Other-
wise | should not have gone into the
contest. -
Mr.. Cook said that the employment
Of workers is Legitimate item of
expense.
What other items ?"
81 am of the opinion that in
state campaign where there are
several candidates the man who can
get out and meet the people or who
can send men out will win. Because
large number of people don't care. "
Now one of the candidates his
snent 1O7. 600 What would you say
to that p
well, l should say that man
could go out and spent 5000, 600 legi-
timatelv. There are 2, 500, 600 people
in the state; there are seventy-one
counties. over 1900 precincts, and if
candidate organizes the whole state
there is no limit to the amount OF
money which can be spent legitimate
ly
AssembIyman Bray asked what was
meant oy an organization.
"You will have to have manager
in every county; you will have to
have headquarters in every county,
and in the larger cities besides; you
will have to have workers and
organizers; you will have to spend
money for advertising, bill posting,
telephone, CLERK hire and for thou
sand and one things
Asked as to what it would cost to
oragnize a county like Winnebago,
Mr.. Cook said that in his opinion
$500 would be spent in each town of
that county, or about $1,000 in all,
and no law would be infringed and no
nor, mould no DvrOnOn0