The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1910-07-09
Restrictions Are
Very freaky.
Some Provisions Of Primary Law Said
to be Shaky. Would Hardly
Stand Test.

ing the candidate from himself = and
from his friends had been reached in
the penalty clauses of the Michigan
primary law.
Emanating from the brain Of Repre-
sentative Sheridan j. Colby, who was
five times elected representative in
the lower houses, it contains everything
that Colby could think of to save the
candidate from the "toucher"-and
Colby had fertile mind.
Colby, who died during the last month
of the session, was one of those states
men who travel long way on their re-
semblance to Abraham Lincoln, Born
farmer, he went to Detroit in 1894 and
for six years was a street car conduc-
tor, studying law at night. Since 1899
he had practiced law when the legisla-
ture was not in session.
If he had been on hand to fight for
clauses that were written into the bill
doubtless they would have been toned
down great deal, for the late Mich
igan legislature was as sane body as
the usual legislature, but Colby lay at
the point death for two weeks shortly
before the bill passed, and died just a
week or 80 before its final consideration.
So, with the reflection that it was
Colby's desire, the two houses shut
their eyes and passed the bill with its
peculiar penalty clauses.
Colby's hobby was that the poor man
didn't have enough of show in politics
to-day, though he was himself the best
sort of refutation of his idea, for he
always ran we'll with his ticket and last
fall ran highest of the eleven represen-
tatives whom Detroit sent to the house.
There were several influences, customs,
and conditions he feared in politics, and
he Illuminated against them all. They
were:
Hired workers.
Use of large sums in newspaper and
billboard ads.
Promiscuous treating"
The 'toucher."
If anybody does any of the things
Colby thought wrong in the next cam
paign they will have to defy the consti-
tutionality of the law, for he wrote into
it in plain terms just what he thought
shouldn't be done.
That section which tells the Michigan
candidate just how far he can 60 in the
way of newspaper advertising follows:
Section 48-It shall be unlawful for
any person. after he has declared him
self candidate for any Office included
in the provisions of this act or filed his
primary petition therefor as herein
provided, and before the close of the
polls on primary day, for the purpose
Of promoting his candidacy therefor. or
for use in his campaign for such Office.
directly or indirectly, to print or cause
to be printed, pay or cause to be paid
for printing, circulate or distribute, or
cause to be circulated or distributed,
any campaign cards, hand bill, banner,
poster, or other advertising matter
larger than two and one-fourth inches
in width by four inches in length.
except postal cards and letters, OF
which contains any lithograph, halftone,
engraving, photograph, or other like
ness of himself, which likeness is larger
than one and one-half inches in width
by two inches in height, excepting
advertisements in newspapers, as here.
in provided, or to publish or cause to be
published, pay for publishing or cause
to be paid for publishing, any printed
matter whatsoever, or any lithograph,
half tone, engraving, or other likeness
of himself, or any other political ad
vertisement of any kind or nature
whatsoever which is intended, published
or manufactured for the purpose Of
promoting or advancing his candidacy
for such office or influencing voters
relative to his said candidacy in or upor
any magazine, program, bill of fare
ticket for any ball or other entertain
ment, or upon or in any other substance
or publication whatsoever, except in {
daily, or weekly, or monthly newspapel
which has been regularly and bona fiedl!
published and circulated for at leas
three months before such advertise
ment is to be inserted therein. 1t shal
be unlawful for or on behalf of an.
such candidate or to help or injure tn
candidacy of any candidate, any of tn
acts or things which it is by this &C
made unlawful for such candidate to do
- In his other sections Colby is equal.
as explicit.
All of his ideas, while some regar'
them as ''freaky," hit at real evil Il
the primary system as it has been trie'
in this state, and that is the expense
Obscure candidates with money hav
tried to make a reputation quick b.