The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-05-24
CORRUPT PRACTICES .
LAW is EXPLAINED
Declares He Never Said It Was a
Crime to Employ Political
Advertising.

HAFSi slo'tiHs
c. f. Emery of Newport, candidate
for the Republican nomination for gov
ernor, and author of the much dis
.cussed corrupt practices act, after
being shown several editorials from
Vermont newspapers to the effect that
he had stated it was violation of
this law to employ political adyertis-
ing made the following statement:
Il have never stated that this act
makes II a crime for candidates to en-
ploy political advertising. That is a
matter for the courts to determine.
=" 1t is true that drafted introduced,
and advocated the passage of this
measure, in the Senate OF 1902, in sub
lstantialy the form in which the law
now stands, and do not for one mo-
ment desire to avoid the RESPONSE
bility.
In doing so, | did not have in mind
The matter of political advertising as
| it is now generally understood.
Il frankly admit that it was my
object, and | believe the intention Of
the legislature, to restrict the use of
money In political campaigns, or at
least to put the stamp of legislative
disapproval upon such practices.
I'VE had but recently passed
| through goyernorship contest in
which t was known that very large
amount of money had been used, and
to the scandal of the state which had
never attempted in any wa, TO regu.
late it, The legislature was in frame
Of mind TO do something and it passed
/ this bill and it was signed by Cover
nor Mccullough. 1t may be that Ii
was not we'll drai ed and ought to
have covered n broader field | have
since been convinced that the act
should have placed a reasonable lint
/ on campaign expenses of all kinds.
With the great state of Michigan plac-
ing a INIT of $3.50, and the federal
government making a $4,000 limit for
such expenditures, the reported decla-
rSion of some Vermont candidates at
this time in our little state, looks like
/ the necessity for real corrupt prac-
,tice act, one which will enable a poor
man as well as rich one 10 enter the
field for the governorship or for any
other office. and on equal terms. Any
/ law which fails to insure this, strikes
at the very root of our supposed equal
/ ity.
1T is undeniabe that q reasonable
amount of publicity through the medi-
UNI of the press, is not only proper but
desirable. though this even, when car
ried on without limit, gives an unfair
advantage to wealthy candidates as
well as does an unlimited expenditure
in circulating, employment of paid
workers, and the various other meth
dds used in influencing voters.
81 did not introduce this question
into the present contest. and do not
think it can fairly be claimed that |
secured the passage of this law eight.
teen years ago for the purpose Of fur
thering my candidacy for a state Office
at this time. 1t could hardly have
been foreseen. Neither do expect to
Invoke the provisions of the act in
Question to prevent any of my oppo-
sition from spending their thousands
in this campaign, if they so desire,
| cannot believe, however, that any
candidate upon reflection will be Will
ing to bring this state into the con
tempt in which it will be held by the
employment of large sums of money
for any purpose, with the present TEN.
lper of the public mind.
The sworn statements required by
law to be filed by candidates within
ten days following the primary cleo.
ton viii become public records, and
] hope will bring no discredit upon
Vermont, or the party to which they
benng.
my acquaintance with the newspa.
per men of this state leads me to the
conviction that no body Of our citi-
ems is doing more for the unfolding
of Vermont or is more willing To
treat public questions on their real
merits than are they. Being assured
of this as am, | would confidently
expect general approval of my pur.
pose, il | am elected governor, to Sc.
cure the enactment Of a law to limit
campaign expenditures to a point that
will permit any citizen to become can