Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-03-01
L. A. BURLEIGH's SPEECH.
Continued from Page One)

Third: Political agents. that is,
persons appointed by candidates to as
sst them in their candidacy. provided
such political agents have filed n writ
ing designating them as such with the
city clerk. Candidates, treasHrers, ana
political agents are all required to file
the returns of which,. have spoken.
Fourth: The general public.
First, as 10 candidates. 4 candi-
date is limited in his expenditures t.
postage. kilograms, telephones. sta
tionery, printing, express and travel
ing, unless he appoints himself his
own political agent and files a writ
ing designating himself as such with
the city clerk In that case he NAV
make the additional expenditures
which treasurers and political agents
may make and which [ will presently
enumerate. So much for what candi-
dates can do. One important thing
which they cannot do under the law
is to influence voters by promising
them directly or indirectly that they
will appoint or assist in appointing
them to office if elected
Second AS to treasurrrs of the
city committees. and political agents.
They may make expenditures for six
different classes of objects. and for no
others:
First: Fer hiring public halls and
music for conventions. and public
meetings, and for advertising the same
by posters or otherwise.
Second: For printing and circulate
ing political newspapers. pamphlets
and books.
Third: For printing and distributing
ballots and pastors. It goes without
saying, OF course, that tie only bal
lots they could print would be those
for use at party caueuses or meetings.
as they would have no occasion or
right to print the official ballots used
at the election.
Fourth: For renting rooms to be
used by political committees.
Fifth: For compromising clerks and
other persons employed in committee
rooms and at the polls.
1t will be observed that under this
class the employment is to be at put
two places, namely, in committee
rooms, or at the polls. Here, again, it
goes without saying that they may
employ persons lat the polls only for
legitimate purposes such. for instance,
as keeping tally in order to ascertain
whether all their political associates
have voted. They cannot employ them
to influence voters by treating them
to liquor, cigars. or anything else, such
practices being clearly illegal and con-
shutting criminal offense under the
law. In my opinion it is equally illegal
to employ them for the purpose of
/ influencing voters even by argument
or persuasion. A person has a perfect
. right to do that voluntarily, but not
for hire.
Sixth: For necessary postage, tele-
grams, telephones, printing, express,
and conveyance charges.
The troublesome question under this
class is as to just what is included
under the term conveyance charges"
Personally ! incline to the belief that it
authorizes treasurers and political
agents to employ vehicles to convey
voters to the polls. provided the
amount paid is fair and reasonable
/ and does not amount TO bribery. and
| provided further that the circum-
| stances under which voters are so con-
| Veyed are not such as To indicate a
| sense of obligation on the part of the
| voter to vote for the party at whose
| expense he is conveyed. Whether the
| railroad or car fares Of absent voters
| can be paid under the head of con
veyance charges" is d still more doubt
| full question. If such voters political
| preference is well known and of long
! standing, and if no sugge stion is made
| as to how he shall vote. perhaps the
| transaction might be held to be legiti-
| mate. Anything beyond that would in
all proba bility be held to be a viola
ton of the law. The line between what
is legal and what is Illegal in this con-
| nection is delicate and shadoWy, and
| each individual case would depend
upon its own circumstances, and
very largely upon the question OF
whether those circumstances indicated
the presence or absence of an improp-
! er motive One thing would seem to be
reasonably certain, and that is, thai
: the court would not strain the mean
ing of Conveyance charges" SO as &c
include anything except the car fares
or the mileage actually paid. Lunches
or other incidentals of the journey
would not be included. nor could any
thing he added for loss of time
The fourth, and last class of per-
sons who may eXpend money in con-