The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1910-09-23
CAMPAIGN EXPENSE ACCOUNTS.

CAMPAlUN EAPENSE ACCOUNIN.
The State papers are commenting on
the heavy expense accounts reported
by candidates and the statement is
made that poor men cannot, under
such conditions, aspire 20 office. 1t is
pointed out that Governor Smiths ex-
penses were $17 500 and that his salary
for the two years will amount to but
$4,000.
1t is likely that such expense ac-
counts have been incurred many times
in the past but the public was never
informed of the fact because the law
providing for the publication of cam
paign expenses was not passed until
after Governor Smiths first election
and it was one of his reform measures.
1t is understood that in the campaign
OF 1908 both Governor Smith and
Governor Brown spent considerably
more than the Office would pay.
1t is to be regretted that such large
amounts are considered necessary, but
any one who is familiar with the
ordinary expenses of a campaign
covering the state knows that it is
impossible to reach the people with
campaign literature without very
heavy outlay for printing, postage,
clerk hire and travelling expenses. If
1t is proposed to limit expenses, it will
be necessary to cut out the work of
headquarters" This would largely
shift the expense to local committees
In the various counties, unless it
should be decided to also prohibit local
committees from spending money.
We make no argument in favor of
spending large sums in political cam
paign. We aim simply to show that if
campaigns are to be made in which
the views of the candidates are present.
ed and where each side is to answer
the other, somebody must foot the
bill. 1t is better to have the candidate
pay his own expenses and publish
sworn statement for the inspection of
the public than to have his expenses
secretly paid by corporations and men
with axes to grind, as has been done
at times in Georgia.
In addition to campaign expenses
governor has many social obligations
to meet and any man who thinks he
can go through a term as governor
without loss should make further
investigation before becoming a candi-
date.
The idea that there is any graft
attached to the governors office by
which campaign expenses could be
recouped is absurd. Of course, graf
tiers who had contributed to a cam
paign fund could be favored in such a
way as to make by the transaction,
but now that the convict lease system
has been abolished even that is re-
duced to a minimum. The law for
the publication of campaign expenses
is a distinct advance and it is to be
hoped some means will be devised to
lessen the burdens which candidates
must bear but the problem is not an
easy one. No candidate should be
allowed to spend dollar improperly,
but if Governor Brown wished to print
and mail his addresses to the people
or Governor Smith wished to mail out
his speeches and other literature il
would be difficult to set the limit OF
their expense for printing, postage and
clerk hire, for it is to be supposed the
people are always anxious to read
what each side has to say.
The main thing is to see that the
candidates tell the truth about them.
selves and one another and that they
are, at the end OF the campaign. free
from obligations to special interests
and gratters.