The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-08-31
JOKERS NULL|FY
FUND. PUBLICITY
Discovery Made When Secre-
tary Refuses to Reveal
the Data Filed.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Aug 81
~Jokers" have been discovered in the
campaign publicity law Passed at the
last session OF congress which tend
to draw it's teeth 80 far as the cleo
ton of United States senators is con-
cerned.
This doubtless will be a surprise to
Senators Kenyon af Iowa, and Kern
of Indiana, who labored zealously to
put upon the statute books an act
which they believed would go far to-
ward stopping corruption In senatorial
elections.
They were handicapped in their
work by the general sentiment in con-
gress against anything OF the kind. by
the fact that they were new senators,
and by the necessity for their con-
slant attendance upon the meetings OF
the Lorimer investigating committee.
ironcIad PhraseoIooy Changed.
AS members OF the committee on
privileges and elections of the senate
the two drafted ironclad provisions
for publicity for all campaign contri-
buttons In connection with senatorial
and congressional primaries, as well
as elections.
The phraseology OF their handiwork
did not meet with the approval of the
majority of the COMMITTEES and it was
modified. Even in the shape agreed
upon the bill represented real ad-
vance In political morality, and Sena-
tors Kenyon and Kern were glad to
get It.
Now 1t has developed the act as
finally passed does not actually pro-
wide for the publicity" of senatorial
contributions and expenditures. The
discovery was made when Senators
martin and Swanson filed with the
secretary of the senate their primary
election expense statements. the first
compliance with the provisions OF the
new law.
The secretarys office declined to
permit the press to see the state
ments, asserting there was no legal
authority for such action.
Applies Only to Representatives.
An examination of the law shows 1t
provides specifically for publicity in
connection with the contributions and
expenditures of candidates for the
house of representatives. Section 5
contains the following:
THE statements SO fled with the
clerk of the house shall be preserved
by him for fifteen months and shall
ne q part OF the public records of his
once and shall be open to inspection"
But there Is no such provision with
reference to senators. The act pre-
Gcribes that a candidate shall merely
l"nle" with the secretary the state
ments required to be made. II In some
way the question could be brought be-
fore the courts, judicial interpreta-
tion might result in the publication of
senatorial statements.
The act is entitled "An Act Provid-
Eng for Publicity of Contributions"
and that publicity was contemplated is
shown further by a provision that the
statements required to be fled before
the general election or the senatorial
election need not contain items of
which publicity Is given in a previ-
<ous statement"
Secretary Guards Documents.
1t IL. OF course. not publicity simply
80 file a statement with the secretary
of the senate. Many documents are fl
ed with this Official which he guards
with absolute secrecy.
OF course. the law Is valueless I'M
less the statements made in accord-
ance with its provisions are open for
public inspection.
The law also does the surprising
thing Of encouraging rather than sup
pressing corruption. Recalling that
Senator Stephenson of Wisconsin ex-
pended 100000 in his primary cam
paign. Senator Reed of Missouri Undue
ed the senate to adopt an amendment
prescribed that no candidate for the
mouse Of representatives should con-
tribute or use in the aggregate exceed
ang $1,000 In his campaign for nomi-
nation and election. and no candidate
for the senate should contribute or
use exceeding $4,000.
Mr.. Reed expected these sums to