Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1911-04-20
IT PROVIDES PUBLICATION OF
CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS
BEFORE ELECTION.
REPORTS EVERY ; DAYS
Fight Is Over Amendment Hitting Can.
didates for Congress.-It Is
Adopted, but Democrats
Later Cut it Out.

Washington, D. c. - The Demo
cratic party has met it's first serious
trouble in the house of representa-
tives. At the close of a session mark.
ed by insurgency in the Democratic
ranks, by reason of which the Re.
publlcans narrowly missed scoring
triumph, the house passed the Rucker
Dill for publicity of campaign contri-
buttons before election.
The fight arose over the extent to
which publicity should be applied.
But for the vigorous and continued
use of the Democratic party whip an
important Republican amendment ex-
tending publicity to the Individual re.
ceipts and expenses of candidates for
congress, would have been retained in
the bill when it finally passed.
AS 1t was, the amendment was
adopted over the protest of the Demo
cratic leaders by the support of So 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 number
refused to change their attitude and
stuck with the Republicans in oppos-
ing the Democratic majority.
The Rucker bill passed finally by
a unanimous vote, but only after a
stormy scene. The amendment Of
fered by Representative Jackson,
new Republican member from Kansas,
required all candidates for congress to
file statements of the source and use
of their individual campaign funds in
both the primary and general cleo.
tions.
Amendment Cut Out.
Mr.. Rucker gathered the members
without leaving the floor they instruct
ed him to report the bill again with
out the Jackson amendment. AS soon
as the vote had been announced he
once more reported the bill to the
house with the Jackson amendment
left out of it; and this motion carried
164 to 1879. The bill. in its original
form, then passed the house without a
dissenting vote.
The Democrats who stood out
against the efforts of party leaders to
dispose of the Jackson amendment
were: Akin and George, New York;
Alexander and Borland, Missouri; Blu
chanan and Stone, Illinois; Buckley,
Sherwood and Whitacre, Ohio; Burke
and Konop, Wisconsin; Cox and Gray,
Indiana; Dupre, Estopinal, Pujo, Rams
dell and Wyckliffe, Louisiana; Good
win, Arkansas; Hamill. Townsend and
futile, New Jersey; Hardy, Texas;
Pepper, Iowa; Baker, California;
Sweet, Michigan; Thayer, Wassachu.
sets, and Wilson, Pa.
The bill, as finally passed, makes
more stringent the campaign publicity
law passed in 1910. That law requires
publicity of funds after election. The
Rucker amendment will require public
ity of funds by the campaign commit
tees ten days previous to election, and
the filing Of supplemental statements
every three days thereafter until cleo
ton day.
The bill limited publicity of cam
paign expenditures to sums Of $10O or
over, but Mr.. Rucker accepted an
amendment of Mr.. Konop, Republican,
of Wisconsin, requiring the publicity
of all payments in sums of $40 or over
fer campaign purposes. Through the
debate Perry Belmont, president Of the
National Publicity Law association and
a former member of the house, occu-
pied seat on the floor.
The Canadian reciprocity bill for
mally was laid before the house, and
after general debate, which probably
will continue for three days, it will be
passed. That this action will be taken
is no longer matter for speculation.
The Democratic house in it's conduct
of the resolution providing for the d.
rect election Of senator's, and the bill
providing for the publication of cam
paign contributions, which passed has
indicated beyond all doubt it's ability to
put through it's legislative program.