The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-10-31
HOGAN IATERpRETS new LAW
Kimble Corrupt Practices
Act is Extremely
Drastic.
Owner Could Ask Friend TO Ride I'm
less Il Could be Shown the Pur-
pose OF the Invitation Was to In
fIucncc His VOtc-Can Rid Sick
Voter.

Members of the Democratic central
committee are pleased with the re-
cent ruling of Attorney General Ho-
gan, relative to the construction Of
the kimble corrupt practices act.
Some time ago the committee talked
the matter over and decided that II
was against the law to furnish rigs
and workers at the polls, as has been
the custom for years.
A ruling of unusual Importance
which will be of vital interest in ev-
cry county, and, in fact, in every cleo
ton precinct in the state. constituting
the new Kimble corrupt practices act.
was given by Attorney General Tim
othy S. Hogan, Saturday afternoon.
In this ruling, he holds that 1t is
unlawful for any political committee
or candidate for political office, to
hire carriages, wagons or other We
hicles to convey voters to the polls.
and that 1t is also unlawful for any
person or party to make any donation
or contribution, either by the giving
of money or the gratuitous Offering of
such conveyances, for such pur-
pose.
Inquiries were received by the at
torney general from some so different
political committees throughout the
state as to whether or not voters
could be transported to the polls eth
er by committees, candidates or 9TH
ers willing to donate money or We
hicles for the purpose.
Only Exceptions Made.
Attorney General Hogan interprets
\ Ia 20 al
thing of the kind. He, however,
holds that the law does not prevent
a neighbor or a friend from driving
voter to the polls who might be
physically incapacitdted from going
there. He points out that the whole
purpose of the law is to prevent COR
ruption in elections and is not to pre-
vent any voter from exercising his
just rights and privileges.
If the owner of vehicle should
invite another to jump in and ride to
the polls with him, that would not
be a violation of the corrupt prac-
tices act, unless it could be shown
that the purpose of the invitation was
to influence the vote of the person
accepting the same.
The attorney generals interpreta-
tion of the law contains some pretty
finely differentiations as to the
meaning of its provisions. A too
literal Interpretation of the act would
make 1t an offense to drive any per-
son to the polls, no matter what the
circumstances, and this, the attorney
general points out, would not be in
harmony with the spirit and harmony
of the act, which, he shows, is to stop
corruption and not to deprive those
who can get to the polls no other way
from being driven there in convey
ance.
Copies Sent Out.
Printed copies of the ruling will be
made and sent to eveiy election COM
mittee in the state. The request for
the ruling was made by Prosecuting
Attorney Harry p. Black of Seneca
county.
General Hogan quotes from the
Kimble law, which says that any per-
son Is guilty of a corrupt practice II,
directly or indirectly, by himself or
through any other person, in connec-
tion with, or in respect TO any cleo
tion, pays, lends or contributes, or Of
fers or promises to pay lend or CON
tribute any money or other valuable
consideration for any other purpose
than which Is set forth in the law
as being legitimate expense and which
would not tend TO be corrupting
General Hogan finds that the hiring