Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-08-31
ELECTION EXPENSES.
Publicity Law Defectiye---Costs May
Not Be Made Public---Matter in
Hands of Clerks.

Primary election expense statements
from Senators Martin and Swanson, O
Virginia, the first to be filed under the
new publicity Law that went into effect
August 10, reached the Office OF Score.
tary Bennett, ofthe United States SEN
ate, yesterday. In the absence OF Sec
retarY Bennett officials OF his office
declined TO make them public.
Following this declination caretui
examination Of the new publicity law
resulted in the startling disclosure that
in the act, presumed to be most drastic
there ia no req airement for publicity
OF the individual statements filed by
candidates for the Senate or House OF
Representatives
The law requires the filing Of indi-
yidual expense statements and pledges
OF appointments, but it is apparently
lei to the discretion Of the secretary
OF til 3 Senate or the clerk of the House,
as the case may be, to decide whether
these statements shall be given to the
public. The publicity Law of 1910 re-
auires that the expenses OF campaign
committees shall be part OF a public
record in the Office of the clerk of
the House, and shall be open to
public inspection"
The statements received yesterday
from Senators Martin and Swanson
will be forwarded to Secretary Bennett
ia New York. What construction he
will place upon the new Law is not
known. II was generally understood
here during the preparation of the
new law, amending the act of 1910,
that the amendments were designed to
give actual publicity to the individual
expenses OF candidates for the Seuste
and OF 1.-The House OF Representatives.
Much surprise was expressed yester
day when it was realized TINT the law
was entirely silent on the matter Of
making these private expense state
Inents public.
The law requires that expenditures
hy committees in the election of repre-
sentatives shall be part of the public
record OF the House.
Two OF the candidates in the Virginia
senatorial primaries to be held Septem.
Der 7 have not yet reported tbsir ex-
penses to the secretary Of the Senate,
and apparently stand in violation Of
the law. The requirement is that the
first expense statement shall be filed
not later than ten days before the pri-
mary election. Tuesday was the last
day in which statements could be de-
posted in the mail to comply with the
law. No reports had been received
Yesterday from Representative Glass
and Representative Jones, who are con-
testants in the Virginia race against the
two senator's.
It is expected that Secretary Ben
nett will take counsel with govern
meut authorities before deciding
whether be will make public any OF the
expense records required by the new
law. Failure to file statements within
the required time before election, il
done willfully, carries with it the peu-
alties Of the law OF 1910, namely, a fine
not exceeding $4,000 or imprisonment
ior not more .than one year or both.
South Trimble, clerk of the House
OF Representatives, said he would con-
strue the law as permitting publicity of
individual expense accounts if the case
should come before him. No expense
statements in contests for the HOUSE OF
Representatives have been filed as yet
under the new law, but Clerk Trimble
said he would feel justified in making
public any records of this character in
the absence of specific prohibition in
the bill.
The only member OF the Senate COM
mittee on privileges and elections.
which considered the recent campaign
publicity bill, yesterday in Washington
was. Senator Hepburn. Just as he was
taking train for Idaho, he was asked
in regard to the dispute over the pub.
licity Of primary and election state
msnts. He did not stop to read the
bill, but expressed an opinion that all
documents on file in the Offices CT the
Senate, except those relating to execu-
tive sessions, we're open to the public,
unless otherwise provided by law.