The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-07-26
HOW 1T MAY WORK.
true


paien expense bin This would make
ihe passage of both in their present
form certain.
The Grst.named measure, that pro
vidiug for the popular election of Sen
ators, was put in doubt By the adoption
of the Bristow amendment specifically
retaining in Congress the power to IN
terfere and control in the elections
whereby Senators are chosen by popular
vote. This was obnoxious TO the Demo
Gratis of the South, but large num-
Der Of the Democratic Southern Sena-
tors waived their objection, In order
to get the direct election of Senators.
The contention on this point is more
academic then practical in way, and
the amendment might as well be agreed
to as it is, as not, Especially Is TINS
truc in the South, where the direct
election of Senators in most of the
States is controlled By popular pri-
maries.
The second proposition, that limiting
the expense for campaign purposes and
providing for publicity of such expendi-
lures. is. on the face of 1t, of more I'M
portance than the popular election OF
Senators, inasmuch as any State is now
at liberty practically to elect its Sen
ators by popular vote, if 1t wishes to
do So But, will the law limiting the
election expenditures and providing Tor
their publicity reach the end aimed at!
Ii politicians were honest, and If every
proposition were what ii seemed to be,
there would be no question about the
efficacy of this measure, But, If every
candidate were honest. and every propo-
sition in fact what it is purported to
be. then there would be no need to pass
any such law. 1t being conceded,
through the passage of this legislation,
that candidates are not honest, and that
appearances are deceptive, the purpose
avowedly throughout is to control ras'
cally politicians, and TO force candor
where deception has heretofore pre-
vailed.
Is it possible to reach this result
through the enactment of statute7 Is
there not danger that the enactment
will work for more secrecy than here
tofore. and even more corruption than
ever known in the politics of the United
States7 Is il not possible that the pas
sage of this bill will drive campaign ex-
penditures into deeper hiding than ever
before, without in the least limiting the
amount of such expenditures, but on
the contrary forcing larger expendi-
lures than eyer7 The country has been
treated in the Lorimer case TO an exhi-
bition of the raising of funds by special
interests TO "put a candidate over;
that is, to elect him in spite of any and
all opposition The claim is made that
this was done in Lorimer's case But
if if was done in Lorimer s case, 1T is
probable that it has been done, perhaps
more quietly and with less rawness of
expression, In other cases. What If 1T
should turn out that the passage of this
law limiting expenditures for cam
paign purposes, and requiring the pub.
lcation of the details of money spent
by any candidate during his campaign,
should result in broadening the efforts
and quickening the activities of sin
tercsts'' that would put up the money
for the election of candidates pledged
to the service of those ''intercsts' In
different parts of the country? What
if the passage of tins bill should re
suit in having the campaign expenses
of candidates taken care OF by differ"
ent interests if the candidates would
serve those interests upon their election
and the candidate himself spend nc
money at all9 The way we are drift
ing in political corruption, the way the
public is becoming hardened to vice
and corruption in politics, as instanced
not only in the Lorimer and other cleo
ton scandals. but in the corruption OF
the electorate, as seen in Adams county
Ohio, and in Representative Cannon s
Danville district IN Illinois, every move
for purity seems TO aid corruption. In
both those cases it has been shown that
the voters were habitual sellers of then
votes. and that q state Of fraud and cor
ruption at the polls had prevailed fol
wears in the infected districts.
Is it not quite possible, in view OF
these modern tendencies towards poit
ical pollution, vote buying, and polltiea
pools and iobbery, that candidates Will
upon the passage Of this measure limit
ing campaign expenditures, have thei'
election expenses taken care Of by in
terests. and that they Will PERSONAL,
show clean bill of health SO far a
campaign costs and the law are con
cerned! For ourselves we must confes
that we consider the likelihood Of "th
interests taking care Of campaign ex
penses 70 be, on the whole, more likel,
than that the law will work such pure
ing for purity as its advocates seem t.
expect
WOMEN AND PRICES.