Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1911-04-20
FAIL TO WORK
Ii. Democrats Block Ihe Scheme Of the
Republicans to Kill
THE PUBLICITY BILL
Discover Just in Time that Accepted
Amendment to Rucker Bill For
Publicity Of Campaign Contribu-
tions Before Election Would Ap-
ply to Primary Elections.

tions Before Election Would APP
ply to Primary Elections.
The Washington correspondent OF
The News and Courier says the Dem
ocrats of the House Of Representa-
tives continued to-day their schedule
of sending something warm to the
Senate. While the latter body has
been licking its committees into
shape. the House has been passing
things which will give the Senate
lot of trouble, and to-day the
Rucker bill for publicity of cam
paign contributions before election
was passed.
For the first time In the session,
the House Republicans caught the
Democrats mapping and came near
throwing them off their balance.
The trick was worked by an amend
ment making the campaign publicity
bill apply to primary elections also.
1t took the majority some hours to
recover from the shock and defeat
the amendment, on the ground that
1t would throw the primaries Into
the Federal Courts.
The incident showed that the u.
o. P, though down, Is still danger
GUS from a parliamentary point OF
view. But for the vigorous use OF
the Democratic party whip, an I'M
portant Republican amendment ex-
tending publicity Of candidates for
Congress would have been retained
In the bill when 1t finally passed.
AS 1t was, the amendment was ad-
opted over the protest OF the Demo-
cratic leaders, by the support OF 52
OF the Democrats who voted with the
solid Republican strength. Resort to
parliamentary move enabled the
Democrats later to get rid OF the
amendment, but % Of their num-
Der refused to change their attitude
and stuck with the Republicans. The
Rucker bill passed finally by unani-
nous vote, but only after a stormy
scene.
The amendment, offered by Mr..
Jackson, a new member from Wis
consin, provides that candidates for
Congress shall file list OF moneys u.s.
ed in their individual campaign.
The amendment met with instant
support from the Republicans. Mr..
Rucker, of Missouri, chairman or
the committee, in charge OF the bill
asserted that it would so change the
form Of the law that 1t might en-
danger its final passage.
This did not deter fifty-four Demo
Gratis from supporting the Jackson
amendment and tie announcement OF
the vote was followed by storm OF
applause from the Republican side.
AS soon as the vote was announced,
Mr.. Rucker moved to recommit the
bill, with its new amendment, to the
elections committee, with instruc-
tions to that committee to send the
bill to the House without the jack
son amendment.
This parliamentary move to
squeeze the amendment out OF the
bill brought about a split in the
Democratic ranks. Twenty-eight OF
them stood by their former action
and voted against the motion to re-
commit the bill but the Democratic
leaders mustered enough votes to
carry their point, 157 to 149, and
the bill technically was sent back to
the committee.
Mr.. Rucker gathered the members
of the committee around him and,
without leaving the floor. they in
structed him to report the bill again
without the Jackson amenoment.
AS soon as the vote had been an
nounced he again reported the bill
to the House with the Jackson
amendment left off, and the motion
carried 164 to 1873. The bill in its
original form then passed the House
without dissenting vote.
The Rucker bill, as finally passed,
makes more stringent the campaign
publicity law passed in 1910. he
Rucker bill will require publicity OF
funds by the campaign committee ten
DAYS previous to election and the hi
ing of supplemental statements ey-
cry three days thereafter.
The bill limited publicity OF cam
paign expenditures Of sums OF 800
or over, but Mr.. Rucker accepted
an amendment of Mr.. Kopp, Of Win
consin, Republican, requiring the
publicity OF all payments in sums OF
500 or over for campaign expenses. .