The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1910-04-15
WHEN is A CANDIDATE?
Capital News

capital news
One OF the features of the new pri-
mary law which does not seem to
have attracted the attention OF the
state press, even though there is a
portion of the press searching every
clause of the law for the purpose of
finding fault with 1t. The question is
one chiefly Oh interest at Lnls time
to candidates themselves, though ulti-
mately it may become of interest to
1 the general public should some OF the
candidates be elected to the offices
they-seek. That is, when does can
didate become a candidate?
The law requires that mo person
shall, in order to aid or promote his
own nomination to an Office under the
provisions of this act, directly or in
directly, himself or through any other
! person, give, pay, expend or contrib
ute or promise to give, pay, ex-
pend or contribute any money or 9TH
er valuable thing or service, except
for personal expenses" The law then
carefully and fully defines personal
expenses" which the candidate may
lawfully expend.
"IlOA Lulo ~ Wltl US SGcu IudI IL
becomes an important matter to know
when man begins to become active
''in order to aid or promote his own
nomination" to an Office. Suppose
man begins to lay his wires ten years
before he actually expects to seek the
nomination, and many modern poll
ticians really begin longer period
than that before the critical contest
comes on; would money expended at
that time and all during the time
count as part of the legitimate ex-
pense he may make? If SO, it stands
to reason that he will have exhausted
contest comes on. ~
In this same section of the law
there is proviso which says: 4
No candidate Tor nomination to
any Office at any primary held under
the provisions of this act shall ex-
pend Tor personal expenses or at all
in order to aid or promote his own
nomination to such Office, more Ina II
fifteen per cent of the yearly compen-
sation or salary attached to such Of
fice."
Notice here the difference in the !
prohibition wording. The main pro-
hibition is against any person"
while the proviso Is against any can
didate." Evidently there Is no dis
tincton to be made in the law between
person" as used in one place and
candidate" as used in the other.
In various other sections of the law
it speaks of candidate" as the one
who shall file the list of expenses,
and as the one guilty of a misdemean-
or for violation of these provisions,
and otherwise, SO it becomes an i'm
pOrtant question to know when one
becomes a Candidate"
From the time that he becomes a
candidate" he must keep and swear
to an accurate itemized account of
his expenses which may not exceed
fifteen per cent Of the yearly salary
Of the Office he seeks. In the case
Of candidate for governor, he may
not expend more than $3.50 in ad-
vocacy of that candidacy, and that
must be expended in the manner limi-
led by law.
Suppose a man should conclude to
feel out" the public pulse upon his
In sense he may be con-
'idered candidate for the office.
But suppose again that he concludes
here Is no great demand for his SER
ices and that should he make the
light he would certainly lose out and
he decides to withdraw. II he has
been candidate" he must certify
o his expenses even though he may
lave withdrawn from the race and
lis name does not appear upon the ]
'f1cial ballot. But the law only re-
luires such certificate mot more ,
han ten days after the day Of hold I
ng the primary election at which he ;
vas candidate" This certainly ex- .
mpts the man who thought he was
candidate but did not finally be-
ONE one on the day of holding the s
Urinary election" III
This would seem to limit the re-