The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-09-09
Houghton Department
FILE EXPENSES
OR FACE PRISON
Many Candidates Are Ignorant of
Terms of State Law

nominations in the recent primar,
elections are ignorant of the fact tina
Michigan has a corrupt practices" ac
In which is provision for two wears
Imprisonment has fine of 1000 fol
violation of its terms.
The law as passed at the session
OF 1913. through the efforts of Rep
ward Copley. Its purpose was I,
aOate the evils of Doodle campaign,
| by limiting the sum that any candi.
date or his managers or friends might
spend, and to conline the expenditure.
to legitimate purposes.
Though less drastic than the bill
which Mr. Copley drafted, and which
was backed by some OF the old line pol
lticians in the legislature ii still af-
fords means by which officials charged
with the enforcement of laws can pro-
tect the people from unworthy prac-
tees at elections-if those officials are
honest enough to do their duty
What Law Requires.
Under this law, every candidate and
every treasurer of n political commit
tee must, within ten days. file with
the county clerk a detailed account
or every sum of money received and of
every sum of money disbursed by him
for nomination expenses.
II is prescribed that such details as
these shall be given:
The date on which any sum OF mon
ey was contributed for the campaign.
The name of the person who made
the contribution.
The date on which any sum was
paid out.
The name of the person to whom il
was paid.
And the whole public has the right
to go to the county clerks Office to
scrutinize such reports or to get GER
titled copies of them.
Up to County Clerk.
II any candidate who got a nominal
ton in the primaries fails To file such
n statement, or If a statement filed
by him betrays a violation of the law.
the county clerk must notify the pros
ecuting attorney, who may then in
stitute civil or criminal proceedings as
may be appropriate to the facts.
But any citizen who wants action
on violation of this law does not
torney. He has the right to lay the
facts before a police justice.
The sum that any candidate may
spend i'm "A campaign for nomination
Except for governor. lieutenant-gov-
ernor or legislator) must not be more
for the office, provided that no candi-
date shall be restricted to less than
800.
Not only shall no money in excess
of the sum specified be paid out by
any candidate. hut that limit covers
all that may be expended in his be-
half by other persons in addition to
what he himself spends.
Friends Liable.
And If any friend of a candidate I'M
dertakes to elbow in" some of his own
money to aid i'm the campaign, he will
have two years i'm prison and n fine of
81, 900 in prospect, for the law says:
No person who is not a candidate
or the treasurer OF political commit
Tee shall pay, give. or lend any money,
contributed by himself or by
any other person, for any election ex-
penses whatever, except to candi-
date or to political committee.
The candidate and the political
treasurer are cautioned i'm very en-
phatic language that they cannot spend
money for any purpose that comes into
their heads. Here are the words OF
he statute:
No candidate and no treasurer of
my political committee shall pay, give,
pr lend. or agree to pay, give, or lend,
either directly or indirectly, any mon
" or other valuable thing for any nom
nation or election purposes whatever.
except for the following purposes:
In brief. these are the only purposes
Ior which campaign money may be
spent.
1. Travelling expenses, printing. sta
duNtIllSluE, ppSNaSO, 'Nfi'''
lge, freight, telegraph, telephone, mes
engers.
.. Disseminating printed informa-
ion.
3. Meetings, demonstrations, con-
'entions.
4. Rent, maintenance and furnish
ng of offices.
6. Clerks, stenographers, ETC., ac-
ually employed.
6. Challengers.
Z. Speakers. musicians.
s. Copying poll lists. investigating
he right of those listed to vote, etc.
9. Canvassing.
10. Conveying disabled voters.
II. Hiring lawyers.
The failure to file the detailed anu
truthful statement demanded by law
$ punishable not alone by fine and i'm
,risonment, but by deprivation or OF
Ice as well, for the law says:
AnnI;ee 20 All Elections.