Morris tribune., 1912-07-12
JOKER FOUNJ
IN new LAW
Corrupt Practices Act In Effect
LegaIIzeS BOssIsm.
MANAGER NOW A NECESSITY
Alone Given Right to Maintain Head
quarters, Employ Help and In
cur Other Expenses.
Especial Correspondence

this pestiferous cuss; you who fought
for a primary law and later saw it ex-
tended so as to take in the state at
large, what would you say If l told
you that the latest in progressive leg
islation for Minnesota practically le-
galizes boss1sm? It does, and further
more it makes bossism recognized
profession. If you want to run for
office under the latest thing in prima-
ries and not go counter to the most
drastic corrupt practices act yet
known, you must have manager or
a personal campaign committee. 1t
is impossible to avoid the affection
and it applies to the humblest office
on the list as we'll as the best the
state has to offer. This little joker in
the law was discovered the other day
and while the state legal department
would not give its official sanction to
the extent of an opinion Secretary of
State Schmahl thought enough Of it to
order a large number OF blanks for
the use of candidates in making aft
| davits of campaign managers or per-
sOnal committees as required by the
law. The niger in the woodpile is
found in sections 16 and II of the
| corrupt practices act relating to what
constitutes a legal expenditure. Can
didates may spend money for travel
ing expenses, postage and telegraph;
rent halls for public speaking, pay
speakers and even hire musicians.
| Several other minor expenditures are
permitted, but there is nothing re-
garding the maintenance of headquar-
| tiers, clerical help or the various other
things generally recognized as need
full and perfectly legitimate in cOnnec-
ton with the average campaign. Do
| ing other than what the new law pro-
vides, and especially that relating to
campaign expenditures, constitutes a
criminal offense and it is here where
the managerial game comes in. Under
section II political managers or per-
sonal committees are recognized and
strange to relate expenditures that a
man as candidate cannot incur are
permitted in the case of his manager,
if he has any He or a committee can
maintain political headquarters, he
may employ clerical help, have stenog-
raphers and incur other expenses de-
MED the individual candidate, so you
see if you are candidate and want to
play safe you simply have to have a
manager l may not have made the
new order of things perfectly plain,
but if you are in doubt just read the
law.
i. !. !.
Campaign expense accounts, with
w. E. Lee, S. Y. Gordon and L. G.
Spooner as the names attached to the
aff1davits filed, were features of the
political happenings at the state CAPT.
toll. All three are candidates for the
Republican nomination for governor
The expense accounts as filed were
the first efforts toward a compliance
with the new corrupt practices act
Mr.. Lee acknowledged to a personal
expenditure of $40 odd, Mr.. Spoone1
about half that amount and S. Y. Cor
don trif1e over $500. Each gave the
names of those composing his cam
paign committee. The law specifies
minute details in the filing of expense
lists, which must be made once q
month, but it must be said that the
accounts filed were not any too exact
in that respect. The absence of the
proper blanks was given as excuse.
S4s "a S&s
The third party movement is now
on, but as I pointed out in a previous
letter there is no unusual scramble OF
the part of the politicians to ge
aboard, 1t is hardly possible that thE
movement will get beyond the nation
al stage. Hugh T. Halbert is push
ing the Roosevelt cause in the Fourth
district and has perfected an organiza
ton, but it alone has the boards in ;
boom way. Lieutenant Governor Cor
don gave evidence of where he stoot
the early part of the week by accom-
panying the filing of his candidac!
with a statement in which he repeat
Cd his previous stand on the preside1
tial question. He gave it out cold tina
he was not for Mr.. Taft and he 6enIe'
the right of any one to question hi
Republicanism because of that fac'
e. T. Young. who Is expected to a.
this week, went Mr.. Gordon one BEL
!, ter. He practically came out with wei
wishes for woodrow Wilson, the Dem
Ocratic nominee, making the point the
the New Jersey man offered a sclutto
of the problem for those who coUl
not stomach the alleged high handle
action Of the Chicago convention. Tn
third party movement did not appee
10 him. 1t would avRtI honest progRel
Eives nothing, he said.
= r e
How Lieutenant Governor 0or6o
could practically deny the nations
candidate ana yet RAe as a Republics
bothered several Al the state capitr