Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-10-07

question has arisen what are legitimate
expenses for a candidate for the govern
orship The Mortified News hurts in
terrogation points. right and left sitter this
fashion:
But lost how far may = candidate 90 in
expenditures and keep within legitimate
lines Can be pay tie actual expenses
OF friends tho canvass their town in the
interests OF his csndidacyf Can he pay
for printing the ballots for a list OF dele
gates favorable to tim to be used in
canvass Can be pay for announcements
il the advertising columns OF newspa-
pers Can be hire a ball in which TO
speak in his own behalff Can he pay
stenographer to write letters urging his
candidacy Can be hire personal press
agent ? Can be do any or sill OF these
things and others ong the same lines
and keep within the moral limit Where
do the legitimate expenditures Of poll
tical canvass end and a corruption fund
begin
Candidate FIeetwood's answer to these
several enquiries would be mighty inter
estng reading, but as we are not likely to
hear from him until after the campaign
anyway, and the Mortified contemporary
does not answer its own questions, we
butt in and volunteer a little informa-
ton. A candidate for the governorship,
or any other Office conferred by the votes
OF the candidates fellow citizens should
OF course pay all his personal expenses
such as postage, travelling expenses, etc.
He is generally obliged to pay these for
the simple reason hat no one else will
pay them for MIN.
What man can lawfully do by himself
he can lawfully do hy an agent. II Law
full and legitimate are synonymous be can
Iegitimately pay the actual expenses OF a
friend for carrying on political can
vass. The number OF friends for whom
be can legitimately defray expenses is
limited only by The size OF his pocket
book. He can pay for advertising in q
newspaper II it is over his own name.
He certainly can ray for and speak in as
many halls as be chooses. That is any
citizens privilege whether be is q candi-
date or not. lie certainly has the moral
right to hire all the stenographers he
wants, and a carload Of press agents II be
chooses.
candidate for governor CT q single
state ought not 10 be bedged about by
any greater restrictions than a candidate
for president OF all the states. Did Candi-
date Taft employ any photographers, or
press agents or pay any postage bills
prior 10 receiving the nomination at the
republican national convention Did
anybody consider that expenditure OF
money illegitimate
What then is illegitimate expenditure
4 L.. Ne
any expenditure Of money or influence that
is not Of educational nature. So long as
the money expended brings to the at
tention Of the electorate the merit and
claims OF the candidate and the issues
which be advocates, leaving The FINAL action
Of the voter unintuenced by the expeetR-
tion OF financial or political gain the ex-
pend ure is legitimate. To buy voters
at 80 much per head; to pay their travel
ling expenditures in getting to the voting
booth, to furnish free booze or cigars or
dinners, or to offer any inducement for
voting for one candidate rather than an
Their, except the voters opinion OF The
merits OF the candidate gained in the
pre-caucus campaign OF agitation and ed
ucation, is wrong use of money. After
the caucuses are held and delegates chos-
en- it is a wrong use of money for a candi-
date to pay the travelling expenses OF the
delegates in attending the state conven-
ton and their other expenses while at
tending the convention. The action OF
the voter or delegate cannot legitimately
be influenced except by argument and
an appeal to his sense OF what is best for
the interests OF the ~hole state as exem-
plihed in the Freeman's oath. 10 Candi-
date Fleetwood or any other candidate,
or the .Northfeld contemporary or any
other contemporary wants further in
formation we have il ard no charge will
be made for services rendered. Bellows
Falls Times.