Milford chronicle., 1920-05-07
CAMPAIGN EXPENSES

The latest proposal limiting by law the use OF
money in political campaigns is doubtless well meant put
it is open to precisely criticism that we recently
made upon some existing State legislation which has the
same end in view The plan establish what we might
call for campaign expenses to be UNIFORM III
all States That submit, would be illogical unreason-
able and UNJUST because sum which might De enurey
sufficient in one State would be absurly insufficient in
another and one which might considered not too large
in one State would for another monstrously excessive
The present proposal is to fix the amount at $lOOOO
for each State that might be enough for use IN Del
aware or Nevada but it would not be enough III ne"
York or Illinois In Nevada, that would mean nine
cents for every member of the popuatiOn while in New
York II would mean only one mill for each person On
the basis OF population, then, it would mean that ninety
times as much permitted to be used IN NeVaua aS
in New York the basis of suffrage in the last elec-
on would be similarly unequal 1t would permit the
candidate spend thirty cents in appeals to each voter
in Nevada and only half each voter in New York
We know Of no principle Of equity which could
justify such discrimination.
The substitute proposal has been unoheially made
that should be prescribed as the maximum that
might be used in each State but in each Congressional
District That would be vast improvement upon the
other since would apportion expenditures according
to population 1t would not however be an ideal pian
because of doing exactly the same work might be
much greater district than in another but it would
probably be good plan could be devised Tor the
purpose view We cannot expect counses OF perfeeuon
not even in party politics!
The error in ali such devices lies in the assumption
that a cheap campaign is viruOus and costly campaign
is corrupt That may be So and it may not be soit all
depends An inexpensive campaign more necessar-
y honest than an expensive campaign is necessarily dis
honest. A State campaign in which only one dollar was
spent would vicious and criminal if that dollar was
spent for the purchase of vote. State campaign IN
which million dollars spent might be pure and
honest million dollars spent in legitimate and
truthful instruction people in the political issues
of the day That to say the right wrong of cam
pagn depends the in which they are used
We are not averse to requiring accounting of all
receipts but we think that requiring accounting
of all expenditures is much more important.
It would be difficult imagine to establish the prop
ostion that publicity On the contrary, it is
commonly regarded as commendabe and beneficial One
of the great politics has been held to be that
the people are sufficiently informed concerning the
issues and candidates presented them for their suf-
frage It would SEEM then, be of dubious proprety
not of positive impropriety inerpose obsaves
against the fullest and freest publicity in campaigns Al
the present time great international organization is
seeking hundreds of millions for giving
greater publicity the Christian religion and the world
applauds the effort If political party, political
candidates. sees fit spend large for giving pub
licy to current issues which for the political in
education of the people it is difficult to
see wherein offense is given to civic morals.
We cannot admit the pretence that the employment
of large campaign funds gives wealthy candidates ad
vantage those who has long been prov
erbial that impecuniosy keeps nation from going
to war-t never did and never will So must doub
if worthy candidate fatally handicapped in
campaign lack of funds. If the people want mar
elected they will provide funds needed for his cam
paign. From Harvey's Weekly.