The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-04-01
STRONG PRIMARY
LAW IS FAVORED
BY THE GOVERNOR
DECLARES CAMPAIGN EXPENSES
SHOULD BE REDUCED TO
THE MINIMUM.
Favors Law Looking to This End and
to the Prohibition Of Corrupt
Political Practices.

Tallahassee, Fla, April l.-Whil9
a candidate for the sOvernOrship.
Park Trammell emphasized in his
platform and also in his speeches tbs
necessity of perfecting the primary
and election laws SO that campaign
expenses would be reduced to a mini
mum, and that every feature of fraud
and corruption would be eliminated.
He not only advocated such policy,
but in his own candidacy put the
same into practice, having made tho
race upon an expenditure Of only
about $4,000. The governor has
cbampioned the idea of prohibiting
excessive expenditures and all forms
OF corruption in connection with the
primary for number Of years. In
1907 while a member of the Senate
he introduced and endeavored to se-
cure the passage Of a splendid meas
ure to prevent corrupt practices. As
attorney general he also made .
number Of good recommendations
along this line. He will recommend
to the Legislature the enactment OF
strong primary law Today the gov
ernor gives out for publication his
proposed recommendation upon this
subject. as follows:
Limit Campaign Expenses and
Prohibit Corrupt Practices.
1.-THE primary and election laws
should be 20 perfected that all op-
portunity for fraud and trickery In
elections shall be removed. and CAM
paign expenses reduced to the mini
mum. I believe that q very large
majority Of the people Of this tSate
are heartily In accord with the idea
that the man and not the dollar
should triumph, and will welcome for
all time to come law that will
be sold at public outcry to the high
stamp out the idea entertained by a
few that public Office Is chattel to
est bidder. The law should be such
that a poor man who is upright and
capable may run for public office
without financial embarrassment,
and the electors of the State may
have the privilege of voting for such
a man. a free and uncorruptcd bal
lot is the supreme SAFEGUARD upon
which rests the pcrmancncy of our
free institutions and the hone of the
future destiny of our State and ma
ton. We must make certain the pur-
ity Of the ballot. Every form of cleo
tion corruption should be severely
punished. Candidates should be re-
stricted in the purposes for which
money may be expended for such pur-
poses. respectfully recommend the
enactment of primary election law
which will provide:
I. A specified limit or maximum
which may be spent by or on behalf
OF or In any manner in furtherance
o. the candidacy of any candidate for
each OF the elective ofiices--federal,
State and county.
9. Specifying clearly the pun 50
for which 1t will be LEGAL for
candidate, or for any person CT com
mittee or club or other organization
OF persons. to expend. directly or in
directly, the amount authorized BY
law to be spent in behalf Of the can
didacy Of any candidate for Office.
3. That no candidate. citizen. po-
litical committee or club. or other
organization Of persons shall be al
lowed to employ political speakers or
political workers, and shall not be al.
lowed to compensate any such speak
er or worker. directly or Indirectly.
or to pay their travelling expenses or
other expenses.
I. That a sworn statement Of all
campaign expenditures made by any
citizen or association Of citizens or
club shall be made In duplicate and
! filed within six days from the date
o: the expenditure. One copy there
Of shall be filed with the clerk Of the
Circuit Court Of the county in which
the expenditure was made. and one
COPY shall be filed with the secretary
Of State at Tallahassee
S. That sworn detailed itemisel
statements Of expenditures made. q
contributions received and Of out
standing obligations in any Wise
pertaining to candidacy fer public
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