The Washington herald., 1911-03-05
NEW IDEAS IN POLITICS.
H-CORRUPT PRACTICES ACTS.

nishing the money treating by candidates,
payment or promise of reward to another
for the purpose of inducing him to be-
come or refrain from becoming a candi-
date, betting on an election with intent 70
influence the result or by a candidate,
and attempting to vote in the name of
another person, living, dead, or fictitious.
All of the foregoing prohibitions are
explicitly explained to include wide va
riety of acts. Treating" for instance, is
defined as giving or accepting any "meat,
drink, entertainment, provision, clothing.
liquors, cigars, or tobacco" The good
old subterfuge under which the purchase
of votes is usually carried on. that of
paying the voter for his time" is pro-
vided against by making it unlawful to
pay any one for any loss or damage due
to attendance at the polls. or in register
ing, or for the expense of transportation
to the polls. 1t is unlawful in Oregon to
pay any one for any political service TO be
performed on the day of a primary con-
vention, or election. or TO, sell, give away,
or wear, on election day. any poliU cal
badge, button, or other insignia.
The amounts that may be spent Iegiti-
mately in campaigns are also provided in
the Oregon corrupt practices act No
candidate for a nomination may expend
more than Is per cent of a years salary
OF the office for which he is running un-
less that should be less than 800. There
are some campaign expenditures, how
ever. that are specifically required of the
candidates. The State publishes a pam
phlet which is mailed to every registered
voter in State and Congressional cam
paigns, and each candidate is required to
pay for page of space in the pamphlet,
the amount paid ranging from 500 for
the highest-paid Office down to 80 for the
minor offices. In the space thus placed at
his disposal the candidate may publish a
statement setting forth his qualifications
the principles and policies he advocates
and favors, and any other matter ne may
desire to make public concerning his can
didacy. Each candidate may obtain the
use of three additional pages at 500 a
page. and any person opposed to a can
didate may purchase space for the pres
entation of his arguments at the same
rate. County CLERKS are required to issue
such pamphlets for cCUnty candidates.
Prior to the general election, another
pamphlet is issued by the State. in which
the various political parties and independ-
ent candidates may publish their argu-
ments at so a page. parties being limited
to twenty-four pages and independent
candidates TO two pages each. Expenses
of candidates in the election campaign are
limited 70 ten per cent of a years salary,
and expenditures by near relatives are
regarded as expenditures by the candi-
dates themselves. UrGer this law a can
didate for governor. the salary of which
office is 5000 a year, may spend not to
exceed $50 in his primary campaign in
addition to 800 ior four pages of space in
the primary pamphlet, and if nominated
he may spend 500 in addition to his pro
rata share of the expense OF his party's
$500 investment in space in the election
pamphlet published by the State For S4OO
a candidate for governor can twice reach
every registered voter in the State di-
rectly.
The Oregon law provides for the fullest
publicity of campaign expenses after the
primaries and elections, both by candi-
litical party and committee. Further
more. the books Of every political organ
ization are required to be open through
out the campaign for the inspection of the
treasurers or chairmen of opposing polit-
ical organizations. A candidate violating
any section of the corrupt-practices act
forfeits his right to the office. and fine
and Imprisonment penalties are provided
for other persons.
Party platforms in 1910 quite generally
the desirability of corrupt
practices acts. The Democrats of Con-
necticut, Delaware. North Dakota, Massa-
chusetts, and Nevada, and the Republi-
cans of Kansas and Michigan went on
record for the publicity of campaign ex-
penses before election; the Democrats of
New Hampshire, Vermont, Illinois. Della
ware. and Michigan, and the Republicans
of Wisconsin favored such publicity after
election: while the Democrats of Pennsyl-
vania, New Jersey, Wisconsin, New
Hampshire. New Mexico, and South Caro-
ina, and the Republicans of Ohio, Yer
mont, and North Dakota declared for
fund publicity without specify
ng whether before or after election.
Democrats of Wyoming and Nevada, and
of New Hampshire inserted
olanks prohibiting contributions by cor
oorations for political purposes, and the
Democratic party in Delaware went
further and demanded laws furnishing by
Imprisonment any corporation officer con-
ributing money for any political purpose
In Maine WiSROn TIlipnic
Nevada, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, Wyoming. New York, Rhode
Island, and Oregon the Democratic party.
Ind in Vermont, Wisconsin, Illinois, and
North Dakota the Republican party made
he suppression of corrupt practices in
general part Of their campaign platforms
The Democratic party in Massachusetts
put forward the advanced programme of
avoring ultimately the payment of all
necessary campaign expenses from the
public treasury. In Nebraska the Demo-
ratio party pledged its State and local
committees and candidates not to accept
contributions from any railroad
,r other corporation. trust, brewery. dis
illery, or saloon, anti-saloon organization,
IT any person or association with pecuni-
Try or prejudicial interest in securing or
lefeating legislation. The Democrats of
framed a plank favoring
Federal and State legislation to determine
What expenditures are legitimate and
avoring compulsory publication in detail. |
rhe Democrats of Nevada demanded laws
making it a criminal ofrense for an en- !
'loyer to try to influence an employees |
'ote.