Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-08-12
LAW COVERING ELECTION
EXPENSES IS SPECIFIC
Mere Compliance With Statutes
Should Insure Clean Results
at the Polls.

While the State committees Of the two
great political parties are endeavorlng
to win assurances from one another that
there will be no bribery Of voters at the
coming State and national elections, II
they will turn to the laws covering cam
paign contributions and expenditures
and agree to abide by the law, nothing
more is needed to guarantee clean eiec-
ton, insofar as political organizations are
concerned.
The law is specific in regard to how
money shall be received and for what
expended II declares, for instance, that
no ANONYMOUS contributions shall be dis
bursed; also, il limits the purposes Tor
which funds may be spent.
The text of the law follows:
1876 b. Section %. Every political
committee shall appoint and constantly
maintain a treasurer, TO receive, keep ana
disburse all sums of money, which may
e collected or received by such com
mttee or by any of it's members Tor
election expenses; and unless such treas
urer is first appointed, and thereafter
maintained, it shall be unlawful Tor n
political committee or any of its members
to collect, receive of disburse money tor
any such purpose. All money collected or
received by any political committee or by
any of it's members, for election expenses,
shall be paid over and made TO pass
through the hands of the treasurer of
such committee, and shall he dishursed
by him; and il shall bc unlawful for any
political committee of any of it's members
TO disbursc any money for election cx-
ponscs, unless such money shall have
passed through the hands of the treasurer.
1876 G. Section 25. No person who IL
not n candidate, or tho treasurer of a
political committee, shall pay, give or
lend. or agree TO pay. give or lend, any
money or other valuable thing whether
contributed by himself or by any other
person, for any election expenses what
ever. except to q candidate or To
political committee and no officer OF any
corporation. whether Incorporated slnder
the laws Of this or any other State or any
foreign country. except corporations form
cd for political purposes, shall pay, give or
lend or authorize 20 be paid given or lent,
any money or other valuable thing be-
longing to such corporation 10 any cand-
date or 70 any political committee, for the
payment of any election expenses what
ever.
1876 ID Section 20 No candidate, and
no treasurer Of any political committee,
shall pay, give or lend or agree 70 pay,
give or lend. either directly or indirectly
anv money. or other valuable thing for
any nomination or election expenses what
ever, except for the following purposes.
First. For Printing and travelling es
penses. and personal expenses incident
thereto. stationery. advertising postage
expressage, freight. telegraph. telephone
and public messenger services.
Second For dissemination Of informa
tion TO the public
Third For political meetings. demon
strations and conventions, and for the pay
and transportation of speakers,
Fourth For the rent, maintenance
and furnishing of offices
Fifth For the payment ot clerkF
typewriters, stenographers. ianltors. and
messengers, actually employed,
Sixth. For the employment Of watchers
AT primary meetings and elections, To The
number allowed by law.
Seventh For the transportation Of
voters 20 and from the polls
Eighth For legal expenses, bona hde
incurred, in connection with any nomina-
ton or election.
1876 y Section 81. Every candidate for
nomination az any primary election, eau
Gus or convention. whether nominated
thereat or not. shall within fifteen davs
after the same was held. If the amount
received or expended shall exceed the
sum Of fifty dollars, and every candidate
for election, and every treasurer of
political committee, or person acting as
such treasurer. shall, within thirty days