Arizona republican., 1921-05-04
WEDNESDAY MORNING. MAY 1, 1s21
The acay to procure insults IS to submit to them. 4 man meets acith no more respect tha,a he e1acts.
 -HdzIitt.
Corrupt Practices Acts


 In the decision United States supreme court in the of Senator Newberry there another disclosure of the often obscure line which divides state from federal authority That line is changeabe faulty boundary survey, subject to relocation from time time according the temper at different times of congress supreme From the earliest times the line has been and forth. usually in encroachment upon the powers of the states. and then others it been restored place. side of which lie the inherent the states and the other the delegated of the federal government.
 The old doctrine of States Rights long since exploded; that s there away doctrine that the union compact the terms which might be construed by each state to its ad- vantage Yet the states had certain rights which plainly under the construction could not be dele gated alienated by act of congress.
 The supreme court in this holds that interfere in conduct prescribe regulations for holding primary elections for representatives. might seem since these not state officers but members of the fed eral government, congress should have power round both primaries and general elections result ing in their choice. with rules of its That attempted in the Force Bill of 1890 and the argument which the supreme court has held the federal corrupt practices invalid ad- vanced but the bill failed passage in the house.
 
 practices act. though the principle of it should be sustained the states. is necessary the preservation, by itself of the purity of There still the unquestioned laws against bribery fraud and corruption, there still absolute of congress upon the qualifi- cations of its membership.
 The effect of this decision of course, will be to stop the investigation proceeding in the federal court here of alleged violation of the federal corrupt practices act, wipes out the law which it is alleged offended against. Another general effect will probably be the wider enactment of practices by the states most which already have such laws, of them enacted during the period within which the popular notion sweeping over the country. between 1909 and 1914. There were two things generally sought to be by the in this legislation. prevent and notorious corruption of voters The to put the poor candidate n nearly even terms with the rich candidate and in order accomplish that the maximum that might be spent by a candidate in the prosecution of his paign generally made ridiculousy low to invite evasion the law if open violation it, which the public winked-
 In this state it is safe say that since the enactment of the law not one candidate in ten has kept within the maximum of expenditures One argument in recent session of legislature against amendment of the corrupt practices act. to exclude expenditures political advertising the maximum fixed by law, that, the law was already a dead letter therefore should be tarded as subject o modification The statement was by several members of the legislature in the course of debate that the had served only to make candidates breakers and perjurers. These gentlemen perhaps did not speak of per sonal experience, all of them had recently been candidates.
 There a time when money used to pur- chase votes-for the direct corruption of voters perhaps very little money has expended since the introduction of Australian ballot system of voting An ordinarily astute candidate is that man who sell his cannot be counted upon to deliver there is way to check him up. a great expenditure of money, however may be used to corrupt public opinion that is to influence public opinion improperly; it be used to build up unnecessarily large organizations, the members of which are inspired by of loyalty to candidate far beyond his deserts. For that reason exnendtures should be limited to necessary tc place his claims fully before the voters. Tha .,,ount should be so liberal that the average cand fate would not feel campaign to be restricted. = lue not only the candidate but the voters that thu .,.,rns of the candidate should be fully presented