Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-07-26
PUBLICITY BILL
PASSES SENATE
Expenditures of Candidates Sc
vereIy Limited.
TEN CENTS FOR EACH VOTER
No Candidate TO Be Allowed to Ex.
pend More Than That Sum
Legislation Also Applies to
the Primaries.

Washington. - With a practically
unanimous vote the senate passed the
most drastic campaign publicity meas
ure that was ever adopted by ethel
branch Of the United States congress
Using the prediction publicity bill
passed by the house OF representatives
as basis, the senate constructed a
proposed law with the following impor-
tant features:
mo candidate for the senate OF
house shall spend la the election more
than a sum equal TO ten cents for each
voter in his district or state.
NO senatorial candidate shall spend
total Of more than $4,000 in the
primary and general election; and no
candidate for the house shall spend
more than $4,000
Publicity must be given to all pri-
mary campaign contributions and ex-
penditures.
"All general election expenses must
be made public before the election, be-
ginning fifteen days before election,
and making publication each six days
until election.
"All promises of political jobs must
be made public"
The bill further makes II illegal to
promise political places In order to Sc
cure election support, or to aid in in
Huencing the election of any member
Of a state legislature
The bill viii be the subject Of prob
ably prolonged conference between the
two houses. 1t originated in the
house as part of the Democratic
legislative program and was designed
to require the publication of expendi.
lures before election, which is not re-
quired by the existing publicity law.
The Republicans In the house at
tempted to extend the bill to cover pri-
mary election expenses. In the senate
the primary election amendment, cou.
3led with more radical amendments,
we're adopted with little opposition.
The senate amendments authorized
by the committee on privileges and
elections required publicity of all pri-
mary election expenses and all pledges
of political jobs or favors Some OBJ
lection to this was made on the basis
that primary elections were not within
the control of congress. The amend
ment was finally adopted however. by
a vote Of so to Z. Senators Bacon.
Bailey, Bankhead. Johnston, Bryan.
Overman and Taylor voting against II.
The more rigid portion of the bill,
limiting the amount the senatorial or
congressional candidate may spend in
any election and prohibiting the max.
ing of all campaign pledges, was pro
posed by Senator Reed of Missouri
and adopted only after long debate
Senator Sutherland of Utah admitted
that the house conferees might force
elimination OF this from the bill.
Senator Reed referred TO the cam.
palgn expense statement filed by Sen.
ator Stephenson of Wisconsin. show.
ing expenditures Of approximately
100000. and TO other large sums
spent by senatorial candidates. He
finally Offered an amendment putting
the total expenditure of any candidate
at sum not to exceed 10 cents per
head for the voters in the candidates
state.
Senator Borah said this would per-
init a senatorial candidate In New
York to spend nearly 100000 In bis
election. while the candidate in New
ada could spend only about $1,000.
The Reed amendment was defeated
once, but was renewed and adopted.
AT one time he had the limit of ex-
pense at $4,000 for a senate candidate
and sl,500 for house candidate; but
at the suggestion of Senator Owen of
Oklahoma this was Increased TO $1O,-
600 for the senatorial candidate and
$4,000 for the house candidate.