Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1912-02-29

Political announcements have be-
gun to appear in the newspapers OF
the state. and the Record having re-
ceived several inquiries as to the
price of such announcements for the
coming campaign. we wish to state
that law passed at the last session
of the legislature governs all politl-
cal advertising. Under the provis-
ions of the statute to which refer
ence is made, regular legal rates,
and no more. can be charged for
such advertising. These rates are
7cents per line for the first insertion
and cents per line for each suisse
auent insertion. As neither the
candidates nor the publisher can fig,
ure out the exact number of printed
lines the manuscript of an announce
ment will make, it can only be estl-
mated. The Record has. therefore,
adopted the following described
plan, which will enable the publisher
to collect for his work just what the
law allows. and no more: When
copy is furnished to the Record for
political announcement, the CASH
in-advance sum of $40 will be col
Iected. the same as heretofore. Inn
mediately after the last publication
before the primary election, state
ment of the total charge for the ad-
vertisement will be made out and
furnished to the candidate. If it
amounts to more than the $40. the
candidate will be so informed in the
statement If less than $40. the diff.
ference between the total legal
charge and the $40 will be returned
to the candidate. A candidate can
count his lines and determine just
where he stands as to publication
expenses. Another thing that can
didates should note is this: No po-
liticaI advertising for which payment
is made can be published in a news
paper unless the same is labeled
Pad advertisement" or words
conveying the same meaning. Fol-
lowing is the text of Section Is of
the Corrupt-Practices Act, which
governs the subject of political adj
vertising:
"No publisher of newspaper or
other periodical shall insert. either
in its advertising or reading col
umns, any paid matter which is de-
signed or tends to aid. iojure or de-
feat any candidate or political party.
organization or measure before the
people. unless it is stated therein
that it is a paid advertisement. No
person shall pay the owner. editor.
publisher or agent of any newspaper
or other periodical to induce him to
editorlally advocate or oppose any
candidate for nomination or election.
and no such owner, editor, publisher
or agent shall accept such payment
Any person who shall violate any of
the provisions Of this section shall
be punished as for corrupt prac-
tice.
1t will thus be seen that the pub
Usher who receives. and the candidate
or other person for him who pays
for, political advertising not so
marked in the paper are subject to
the penalties of the new law. such
penalty prescribed in Section q Of
the Corrupt Practices Act, being as
follows.
Any person who violates any Of
the provisions of this act. the pun
ishment for which is not specially
provided by law. shall. on conviction
thereof. be punished by impsison-
ment in the county Jail for not more
than six months. or by fine of not
more than one thousand dollars, or
by both such hne and Imprisonment. =
It will thus be seen that, if there
are newspaper publishers inthe state
who have been in the habit of black
mailing candidates by demanding
money for the purpose OF securing
the publication Of original" arti-
Giles in support of certain candidates,
or to prevent "editorial" attacks on
certain candidates. such publishers
will hereafter do this class of dirty
work with the knowledge that stiff
penalty stares them in the face in
case of discovery. and, in the intense
rivalry of a political campaign it is
more than likely that the facts re.
garding such violations of the law
will he found out.