The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1911-01-06
AS TO CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS
Capitol News)

In view of the criticism sometimes
offered of the Idaho primary law be-
cause of its stringent limitations of
campaign expenditure by candidates,
and because of the alarm that people
sometimes express relative to the
danger of such expenditures in cor
rupting the electorate of the states,
the sworn statement of expenditures
of Senator La Toilette and of S. A.
Cook, the man who tried to defeat
him for denomination, becomes inter-
esting reading and valuable infor-
nation as an argumentative basis up
on the question.
According to the affidavit of Sem
ator La Toilette he did not spend a
single cent in behalf of his candidacy.
OF course there are those who,
through their own methods Of cam
paigning and because of knowledge
of their consciences, and will not be
able to believe this. No one has
denied it's truthfulness, however. His
campaign manager has sworn to a
statement in which he declared that
there was expended by him in Sena-
tor La Follette's behalf, $500, in
return for which expenditure he has
total of 144,O00 votes received by his
candidate to show how judiciously
the money was spent.
Cook, however, acknowledges,
through his campaign manager, that
there was expended in his behalf the
sum of $107, 900, for which he re-
ceived $4,000 votes, or at the rate
of $3.50 vote.
This shows how absurd the claim
Is that elections go to the party or
candidates who have the most money
to expend. While it may be admitted
that some voters are Influenced by
liberal and lavish use of funds by
candidates and parties, it must also
be admitted that such expenditure,
especially If expended in anything like
an Legitimate way, causes such can
didates the loss of even greater
support from that class of citizens
who prize their citizenship and the
good of the state more than they
prize a few paltry dollars.
The truth of the matter is that
about the only effective safeguard in
such matters is the intelligence and
patriotism of the people, and II that
may not be depended upon to keep
candidates within bounds, it is certain
that no law will accomplish the re-
suit. We believe it is a good thing
to require an accounting of expendi-
lures by candidates for public office,
and after that and with the know
ledge in mind that an itemized state
ment of such expenditures will be
required, we believe the candidates
themselves and the people will do the
rest. The purpose of requiring an
itemized statement of expenditures
is to assist the people in testing the
sense of honor of the candidate and
not to prevent the expenditure of
large sums of money. If essentially
false statements are made the people
will find a way of satisfying them
selves upon that point even though
not sufficient legal evidence may be
available to warrant conviction un-
der penal clauses of such law.
There is no telling at what time
some matter of the most vital i'm
portance to the people may come up
which would require the perfectly
legitimate expenditure of large sum
of money in behalf of a candidate
selected by the people and running
in the interests of the people as
against some special interest, and
whereby it would become necessary
to make an expensive appeal to the
people, showing them wherein they
were being deceived by such special
Interests. AS it stands now, only those
candidates who can have the support
of special interests, willing to expend
money in behalf of their candidacy,
can expend money legitimately In sup
port of the principles for which they
stand.