The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1911-07-21
SENATORIAL CANDIDATES MAY
SPEND ONLY $4,000. HOUSE
AsPIRANTs, 5000.
PUBLISH BEFORE ELECTION
Measure 10 Most Drastic Of It's Kind
Ever Adopted In Either Branch.
Of the National
Congress.

ever passed in either branch of con-
gress was adopted by the senate, prac-
tically without dissenting vote. Us
ing the prediction publicity bill,
passed by the house Of representa-
tives, as a basis. the senate construct
ed during the day a proposed law
with the following important features:
No candidate for the senate or house
shall spend in the election more than
a sum equal to 10 cents for each voter
in his district or state.
No senatorial candidate shall spend
q total of more than $4,000 in the
primary and general elections; and no
candidate for the house shall spend
more than $1,000.
Publicity must be given to all pri-
mary campaign contributions and ex-
penditures.
All general election expenses must
be made public before the election.
beginning Is days before election and
making publication each six days until
election.
All promises Of political jobs must
be made public.
The bill further makes IT illegal to
promise political places in order to Sc
cure election support, or to aid in in
fuencing the election of any member
of a state legislature.
The measure will be the subject Of
probably prolonged conference between
the two houses. II originated in the
house as a part Of the Democratic leg
islative program and was designed to
require the publication of expenditures
before election, which Is not required
by the existing publicity law.
The Republicans In the house unsuc-
cessfully attempted to extend the bill
to cover primary election expenses. In
the senate the primary election amend
ment, coupled with more radical
amendments, was adopted with little
opposition.
The senate amendments authorized
by the committee on privileges and
elections required publicity of all pri-
mary election expenditures and all
pledges of political jobs or favors.
Some objections to this was made on
the ground that primary elections
gress. The amendment was finally
adopted, however, by vote OF so to
Z, Senators Bacon. Bailey, Bankhead,
tombstone, Bryan. Overman and Tay-
lor voting against il.
Tit more rigid portion Of the bill.
limiting the amount the senatorial
or congressional candidate may spend
( In, 81 he
making of all campaign pledges, was
proposed by Senator Reed of Missouri.
and adopted only after a long debate.
Senator Reed referred to the cam.
paign expense statement filed by Sem
ator Stephenson of Wisconsin, show
ing expenditures OF approximately
/ s1OI. 900. and to other large sums spent
by SENATORIAL candidates. He finally
offered an amendment putting the total
expenditures by any candidate at a
sum not to exceed 10 cents for each
voter in the candidates state. Sena-
/ tor Borah said this would permit a
senatorial candidate in New York to
spend nearly 100000 in his election
while the candidate in Nevada could
spend only about $1,000.
The Reed amendment was defeated
at once but was renewed and adopted.
At one time he had the limit of ex-
pense at $1,000 for a senate candidate
and 81 500 for house candidate; but
at the suggestion of Senator Owen Of
Oklahoma this was increased to $780,
900 for the senatorial candidate and
$1,000 for the house candidate.
Resolution Scores State Department.
A favorable report OF the resolution
Of Representative Dent, of Alabama.
arraigning the state department emery.
ency account methods. and recon-
mending the dismissal of Consul Gen.
eral w. IL. Michael. at Calcutta, and
Disbursing Oficer Thomas Morrison.
of the department. was adopted by the
house committee on state department
expenditures.
The Dent resolution declared IL to
be the sense Of the house that the
state department had no right to take
money from the emergency fund to
pay for portraits of former secretar-
les OF state and recommended the
dismissal Of Morrison and Michael on
account of their alleged connection
with $1,000 unaccounted for on a
voucher Of s2.+5o for a painting of
former Secretary Day.
Michael was at the time chief clerk
Of the department.