The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1911-07-21
SENATORIAL CANDIDATES MAY
SPEND ONLY $4,000, HOUSE
ASPIRANTS, 5000.
PUBLISH BEFORE ELECTION
Measure Is Most Drastic o: Its N'ho
Ever Adopted in Either Branch.
of the National
Congress.


drastic campaign publicity legislation
ever passed in either branch or con-
gress was adopted by the senate, prac-
tically without q dissenting vote. Us
ing the prediction publicity blli,
passed by the house Of representa-
tives, as a basis, the senate construct"
ed during the day a proposed law
with the following important features:
No candidate for the senate or mousse
shall spend in the election more thah
a sum equal to 10 cents for each voter
in his district or state.
No senatorial candidate shall spend
a total of more than $4,000 in the
primary and general elections; and no
candidate for the house shall spend
more than $4,000.
Publicity must be given to all pri-
mary campaign contributions and eN-
penditures.
All general election expenses must
be made public before he election,
beginning 10 days before election and
making publication each six days until
election.
All promises OF political jobs must
sDe maze puDlc.
The bill further makes it illegal to
promise political places in order to Sc
cure election support, or to aid III in
fiuencing the election Of any member
of a state Legislature.
The measure will be the subject Of
probably prolonged conference between
the two houses. 1t originated in the
hl,t-, 90 4, rnrt - thn Jnnp,nar IN tin loo
~islatiye program and was designed to
require the publication of expenditures
before election, which is not required
by the existing publicity law.
The Republicans in the house unsuc.
cessfully attempted to extend the bill
TO cover primary election expenses. In
the senate the primary election amend
ment, coupled with more radical
amendments, was adopted with little
opposition.
The senate amendments authorized
by the committee on privileges and
elections required publicity OF all pri-
mary election expenditures and all
pledges of political jobs or favors.
Some objections to this was made on
the ground that primary elections
were not within the control of con-
gress. The amendment was finally
adopted, however, by a vote of so to
/. Senators Bacon, Bailey, ~Bankhead.
tombstone, Bryan, Overman n Tay-
Tor voting against it.
Tit more rigid portion of the bill,
limiting the amount the senatorial
or congressional candidate may spend
in any election, and prohibiting the
making of all campaign pledges, was
proposed by Senator Reed Of Missouri.
and adopted only after a long debate.
Senator Reed referred to the cam
paign expense statement filed by Sen
ator Stephenson Of Wisconsin, show
ing expenditures Of approximately
$101 600. and to other large sums spent
by SENATORIAL candidates. He finally
offered an amendment putting the total
expenditures by any candidate at a
sum not to exceed 10 cents for each
voter in the candidates state. Sena-
tor Borah said this would permit a
senatorial candidate in New York 20
spend nearly $500, 900 in his election
while the candidate in Nevada could
spend only about 81 ,000.
The Reed amendment was defeated
at once but was renewed and adopted.
At one time he had the limit of eX-
pense at $4,000 for a senate candidate
and $1,000 for a house candidates.; but
at the suggestion of Senator Owen of
Oklahoma this was increased to S10.-
600 for the senatorial candidate and
$1,000 for the house candidate.
Resolution Scores State Department.
A favorable report of the resolution
Of Representative Dent, of Alabama.
arraigning the state department emerg-
ency account methods, and recon-
mending the dismissal of Consul Gen
eral w. II. Michael, at Calcutta, and
Disbursing officer Thomas Morrison.
OF the department, was adopted by the
house committee on state department
expenditures.
The Dent resolution declared it to
be the sense of the house that the
state department had no right to AXE
money from the emergency fund to
pay for portraits of former secretar-
les OF state and recommended the
dismissal Of Morrison and Michael on
account Of their alleged connection
with 1880 unaccounted for on a
voucher Of $2,450 for a painting Of
former Secretary Day.
Michael was al the time chief clerk
of the department.
CttneoN Evano;nAe R;o H,..i