The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-04-23
REP. MURDOCH GETS
OTHERS SQU|RM|NG
Matter of Publication of Ex-
pense Accounts Source of
Worry.
MOTION WAS CAUSE
Discussion Started When
Murdoch Introduced
Resolution.
MOTION WAS CAUSE
palladium Specially

floor leader of the Progressives in the
House, has got both Democrats and
Republicans squirming over the publ
cation of their expense accounts for
the last campaign, together with the
statements of contributions and ex-
pendtures filed by the treasurers of
the Progressive, Democratic and Re
publican national committees. The
Democrats especially are up against
plain problem of keeping faith with
their widely trumpeted demand for
campaign fund publicity or demon
strating by their actions now that
their talk has been buncombe for
campaign consumption alone.
For eight or ten years, the Demo
Gratis have been loud in their demands
for campaign fund publicity Mr..
Bryan, especially, has been most
ardent advocate of the plan of COM
peffing all candidates to make ex-
p1fcit statements of contributions both
before and after election. A law was
passed which was hailed by Demo
Gratis all over the country as great
triumph for the principle of publicity.
But the law has been drawn with ex-
IRENE cleverness, so that 1T merely
provided for the filing of statements
with the clerk of the House and said
lever a word about the printing or
publication of them. 1t did not even
provide against their destruction,
which will take place automatically.
ander the general practice with such
do ojO
All the national committee treasur-
srs filed their statements last fall as
required, and most of the candidates
for congress filed theirs. For day
or two, at the prescribed times OF fill
ing, the newspaper men in Washing
ton had access to these statements,
and articles of varying length were
printed, confined almost wholly to the
mere statement of total contributions
and expenditures, with the names Of
the largest contributors to the various
funds. Such publicity as there was
dealt almost wholly with the national
funds, and there was next to no COM
ment about the congressional state
ments. There was no examination of
any of the statements in detail, and
there never has been any real publici-
ty of them, nor was it ever possible for
individuals away from Washington to
examine them. All of which was very
satisfactory to both Democrats and
Republicans.
The Progressives have not made
anything like the hullaballoo over
campaign publicity that has distin-
{nl~ osrrv,
but they declared in favor of the prin-
ciple in their platforms and in numer-
Gus cases where publicity of contribu-
lions only was demanded they filed
statements giving expenditures as well.
Mr.. Murdoch is believer in giving
practical effect to the platform decla-
rations as well as theoretical support
to them during a campaign. So he
prepared a resolution providing for the
printing of the records on file with the
clerk Of the House as a public docu-
ment. He had his resolution ready ON
the first day of the session and at the
earliest opportunity sought the floor
to bring it up. Both the Democratic
and Republican leaders had been in
formed of his purpose. The result was
that as soon as he addressed the
Speaker, a motion to adjourn was
made on the Democratic side. That
motion Is always in order and is not
debatable so that there was no oppor-
tunity for Mr.. Murdoch to tell the
House what he wanted to do. The
Democrats followed their leader and
voted to adjourn, cutting Mr.. Murdoch
off for that day.
Then Mr.. Murdoch formally intro.
dueed his resolution. Such matters
usually go to the committee on print
ing, but for some reason this one
was referred to the committee on &C.
counts, where 1t is still slumbering
This was the status of the matter
when, at the opening of the session on
April 18th, the Speaker laid before the
house the report of the clerk, for the
purpose of having it printed
Mr.. Murdoch promptly asked Mr.
Clark If the report included there
statements of contributions and ex
penditures. The Speaker replied that
it did not, and explained that he did
not think he had authority to direct
the clerk to include them, but he would
entertain a motion to have that done
Immediately Mr.. Murdoch made that
motion. and then the fun began.
Hardwick of Georgia. a Democrat OF
the old school. promptly raised point
or order against the motion. He SAID
that IL Mr. Murdoch would ask unani
nous consent to have the statements
printed he would not object. Mr.. Muir
dock knew plenty of other Democrats
who would object, however, so he die
not fall into that trap.
Sherley. of Kentucky, one of the
most adroit members of the Demo
cratic machine, jumped to Hardwick's
support He declared that the dut,
laid on the clerk by the law was te
file the statements, not to print them
and that If it was desired to have the
statements printed the proper proceed
ure would be to change the law. Mr.
Sherfey is firm believer in the htera
observation of the law.
Mr. Murdoch replied that the House
has complete power over the clerl
and could direct him to print the
statements if it desired.
Mr.. Lloyd of Missouri, another OLE
school Democrat, who, from having
been chairman of the Democratic Con
xressional committee knew prett,