Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-09-05


IN the record OF the historic sixty
Fourth Congress- among lie measures
'hHt were Nallantly pushed 10 tho for.
again and again by their sponsors
Whcn press OF business ana ahortness
Oh time threatened TO crowd them OFF
VIC calendar. measur. with n little
hait column long viii 40 down 10
postcrity "a c:Ie 81 the chief For u,ir-
poses - cvcryuay nomenclature this
nlil - known aroGnd the CAPITOL a.
corrupt Practices and It's object and
mission - 10 GO away with all faint of
corruption in elections. II thIs bill be-
comes Law. or when II becomes law
as is supporters prefer to stale IL
Viii put our elections on ~ new basis
OF financial publicity.
There are really TWO corrup, prac-
tees bills. ono ~ which. drawn and
introduced by Nj. Ruckcr. OF Missouri.
passed the House some time ago The
Senate bill. which is the one occupyinr
the center OF the stage AT the moment.
was Introduced by Senator owen. OF
oklahoma. When the House blu came
I" the Senate, the committee 10 which
IL was referred struck out all OF II.
and substituted the owen bin as q
sweeping amendment. SO that while ~
IL being said that the bill which passed
the House IS UP before the Senate, II
- really quite another measure. Should
the senate pass it, IL Will have TO go
back To the House again. ana appar-
entity there viii he warm discussion
before the conference decides what tn.
hill Shall eventually look like
Tile owen bill provides that IN order
10 get in the game Of national poli-
tics. YOU must do II according to rule
|! YOU are going TO spend any money
in q way tltnt will Influence the result
OF I'M election, directly or indirectly!
YOU mus: organize into a political COM
mittcc. Any organization OF tvc on
more members. except corporations Or
ganizcd for profit may constitute ii
self political committee by drawin:
M n resolution to that effect and send
ing a copy 81 IL TO the chief clerk at
the House OF Representatives The
committee has TO come out in the open
in this resolution and state fully and
In detail tn. candidate. or candidates.
IT Is going To Try and help elect Thus
prompted by tho Jealous committee. the
chief clerk VIII come back ut them
with formal certificate constituting
them a recognized political committee.
and they are free 20 go ahead aud cleo
tomeer within the limits set down by
other sections Of the hill
II man OF political tastes happens
10 be also unsociabie and noncr"garI
Gus by nature. he is not forced 10 af-
iliate with any committee in order 20
work. lie can go ahead and work 10y
tlmssIf, nut ne becomes III CficCt
committee OF one. lie is bound, rs the
committee is bound. TO rcpor, all the
money he spends ana just how ne
spends IL. should his expenditures cX-
coed $40. II he wants to confine him
self 20 s49oo, lie is at liberty to pro-
coed without supervision.
Must Keep strict Account.
The troubles OF tho committee only
beg with the obtaining OF the GER
tticate. however. Armed with that.
they can set to work, but they must
keep strict account Of everything they
spend. They must have a treasurer.
ana the treasurer must keep bank
account. lie must keep complete
record 81 receipts and expenditures.
lie must carefully save all his receipts.
{ any other member OF the committee
collects anything. he must forthwith
report SAID collection to the treasurer.
who makes - record of it, His record
must show how much each contributor
contributes. ana where he lives. When
the records arc complete. they are to
he sent 10 Washington and preserved.
open to the Inspection of any ono
who cares to read. The name and
address OF each person who gives
more than sl0G is set down iudividu-
ally. II your contribution is more
modest. YOU are. Jumped ignomniously
with the rest Of the pikers. iiut the
made matter Of public record.
Section Of the hill contains the
most radical innovation Of all. as some
critics see il This section hcartlcSsiy
provides that man, he he who he
may. shall contribute more than $4,000
toward a campaign TO influence the
result OF any election. The original
House bill did not set any limit on
tic amount one man might contribute:
and 1t has been pointed out that $4,000
is less Ia some men than 81 10 others.
and that rich and pubiic-spiritc ed
CITIZEN may want To contribute SiG,-
600 toward tile expenses OF n particu-
lar campaign, and thereby relieve some
OF his poorer fellow citizens OF carry
ing the burden: yet his motives and
methods may he improbable How
ever. there is section Q. doubtless
fruitful field for conference contro-
vcrsy.
Expenditures Arc Limited.
In presidential campaigns. the bill
provides that no more than $500, 00h
may be spent by any national commit :
toe. Not more than 100000 may lac
spent in trying to secure The n",uina-
ton Of q candidate for tho presidency.
and the vicc-prcSdcncy goes At half
price, with IL $4,000 li:nii. Ai"o. 40
conmiiic" may Hor;id .iryihin;; ~ ,a-
cure the nomination. "f candidate
without his Knowledge and consent.
: So the candidate cannot plead that
his good friends have been spending
Candidates for the offices OF Senator
themselves with spending the modest
aum9 Of S5 000 mud k0u