St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1912-01-03
PRESS COMMENT
Political Candidates and Corrupt
Practice Acts.

The question of the use of none,
in politics has become a national is
sue as well as a matter of concern tx
the people of our own state We
spoke the other day of Tainted
Governors and the extent to which
people throughout the nation haC
sought and are still seeking to en-
body in concrete form on statute
books sane and pronounced senti-
ment in opposition to corrupt prac-
tees in politics, as evidenced by the
acts of Congress and the legislative
measures of various common
wealths.
We have been asked to supple
ment our utterance by showing to
our readers just what has been ac-
complished in Vermont in the direc-
ton of legislation to promote purer
politics and clean canvasses. We
gladly comply with this request, for
Vermont is now approaching city
elections, and town meetings as well
as state and national campaigns,
and it will be helpful, if we know
precisely where we may stand and
not be besmirched.
In the matter of legislation con-
corning bribery and corruption in
elections Vermont has not been pro-
fuse, but it has covered the ground
in a way. Section z37 of the Public
Statutes of Vermont makes the gen
eral provision that "a person who
attempts by bribery, threats or any
undue influence to dictate, control
or alter the vote of a freeman
about to be given at general cleo
ton shall be fined not more than
two hundred dollars"
The champions of pure politics in
Vermont evidently devoted far
greater attention to the question of
corrupt practices in securing nomi-
nations than in obtaining elections.
This may be due in part to the fact
that for so long a period nomina-
ton in Vermont has been regarded
as equivalent to an election. Be
the explanation what it may, while
we have disposed of the whole sub
ject of corrupt elections in the brief
act summarized above, we have pre-
scribed in minute detail what is il
legal and what is reasonable" in
the process of securing a nomination
for public office.
Following the notorious contest
of 1902 in which four leading men
struggled at different stages over a
long period and through successive
nominating conventions and Bit
terly contested state election and a
legislative session to reach the gov
ernorship station, the General As
sembly of Vermont in response to
public sentiment as pronounced as
it was general enacted legislation to
prevent a REPETITION of the expert
ences of that gold letter year in
Green Mountain politics.
1t provided in the first place that
mo person shall directly or indi-
rectly, give, pay, expend or contri-
butte or promise to give, pay, expend
or contribute, money or other valu-
able thing, in order to promote his
own nomination, or the nomination
of another person, as a candidate
for public Office, by caucus, eonven-
ton or nomination papers, except
for personal expenses as provided in
the following section"
The exception to this sweeping
rule of conduct in political cam
paigns is embraced in the provision
that "a person may incur and pay
in order to promote his own nomina-
ton or the nomination of another
person as a candidate for public Of
fee, his own personal expenses for |
travelling, for writing, printing and |
preparing for transmission by letter,
circular or other publication not |
issued at regular intervals, whereby |
he may state his position or views, |
or the position or views of another |
person, upon public or other ques-
tions, for stationery and postage, !
for telegraph, telephone and other
regular messenger service, and for
other petty personal expenses; but
all such expenses shall be limited to
hose which are directly incurred
and paid by him"
This paragraph seems to fix with
all necessary exactness and detail
he things a candidate or his friends
IAN do as regards the spending OF
money in a campaign for a politi-
,al nomination for public Office as
individuals. The statutes
20 further, however, and say what
,hall be left undone by newspapers.
Section 106 provides that "No
publisher of a newspaper, or other
issued at regular inter
rails, in this state, shall, directly or
receive or accept money
,r other valuable thing in payment
II compensation for the support or
advocacy in such newspaper or pub
ication of the nomination of any
,erson as a candidate for a public
,fice in this state"
As a gentle reminder and prob
bly, little more in view of the size I
# the penalty, it is also provided
hat ga person who violates a pro- ;
-ision of the three preceding sec {
ions shall be fined not less than
100" {
AS a matter of conspicuous fact {
owever, law breakers Of this class I
ave not been fined even. &
In this as in many other cases in s
and elsewhere, there is law
nough. The difficulty is to secure {
he enforcement of legislation in |
ended to ensure nominating cam I
aigns and elections free from cor I
upting influences of all kinds. 1t
Gems to be human nature to shirk I
he responsibility Of being an Gin '