Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-09-18
Saturday, September 10, 1926.
IF there 10 anything good about
nobility it 10 that il enforees the
necessity Of avoiding deseneraey."
ON THE PRIMARY LAW

ON THE PRIMARY LAW
The Bowdoin College Bulletin.
cost Of Primaries and Elections in
Maine" by the Colleges Professor OF
Government, o. c. Hormell. Ph.D,,
has been received along with the sug-
sestion: "see Chap. TX"
Now this Chapter TX Is illun1in-
ating. but the same may be said OF
the entire Bulletin. It is the prod
uct Of a manifest effort to collect the
facts before attempting to make de-
auctions These facts do not appear
complimentary to the regulations
provided for producing them. as
Chapter TX demonstrates.
The data compiled is conpre-
hensive as we'll as interesting. There
Is a summary Of primary ex-
penditures Of all candidates in the
1924 primary, which is the one OF
which the compilation Is made. It
appears that the actual expenditures
that year were about a twelfth of
what the law would permit; that the
cost to the State of that primary
election was $1s.210.S9. and there is
the cost to municipalities. The data
indicates that the per capita cost to
the 20 cities was approximately four
and two-thirds cents, to 20 large
towns slightly less than one and one
half cents, to ten small towns three
and one-sixth cents. Augusta. Ellis
worth and Saco reported the highest
per capita cost among the cities
slightly above eight cents per person.
The lowest cost was Auburns S.024.
With regard to the criticism that
the law favors the city. the compila-
ton shows that the cities in eight
counties with ass Of the population
enjoyed AIS Of the offices. The coun-
try also shows slight advantage in
the cases where candidates from the
city ran against candidates from the
country.
Complying with advice to "see
Chap. TX" How the Maine Law Re-
lating to Campaign Expenditure
Works." we find meat for further
legislation and likelihood that such
will be asked Of the next Legislature.
The opening paragraph Of this Chap
ter is:
II the tests of an adequate cor
rupt practices act are: to prevent
anyone, except candidates, political
agents and treasurers of political
committees, from receiving or ex-
pending money in a campaign; to
limit the objects or purposes for
which money may be spent; and to
provide full publicity Of all receipts
and expenditures, The Present Law
in Maine Is Scarcely Worth the
Paper It is Written On"
This is quite emphatic but Prof,
Hornell adds: THE present law falls
short Of being adequate both with
regard to the extent of the law and
with regard to the mahinery provid-
ed for its enforcement" and proceeds
to point out what he terms fragrant
holes" such as no provision against
receiving contributions from corpor-
atoms, a provision contained in the
Connecticut law from which our law
was copied, but singularly overlook
ed in copying. Another criticism is
that the Maine law does not require
publicity Of the receipts and eX-
penditures before the election, as is
required under the law in eleven
States, Of which New Hampshire is
especially worthy Of consideration.
The writer delares that the pub
licity provision of our law is of little
or no value since the information
filed with the secretary of state
never reaches the public. He re-
CARDS the Oregon law as the most
effective; he cites. as the Joker" in
our law, that 1t doesn't apply to
candidates who are their own po-
litical agents. also that such candi-
date acting as his own political agent
may be the treasurer or political
agent Of any other organization or
candidate.
THE political party If it so desires
may collect and distribute it's funds
in whole or in part through a candi-
date who is a self-appointed 'po-
itical agent. without disclosing the
source from which the campaign
funds are contributed" - THE
law does not provide adequately for
its administration or enforcement.
"A law to be adequate on the
administrative side should specific
ally provide for inspection of the re-
turns ="
THE evidence presented in the
eight specific indictments against
the present law leads to the con-
clusion that the law acts as little
more than a sedative to quiet the
public conscience, rather than as a
cure for the political ills for which
it was devised"
II this be 80. and it must be ad-
nitted Prof. Hormell makes out a
strong case. Maine people are to be
congratulated on their honesty
rather than on their ability to make
laws to compel honesty. Considering
this. one may wonder why the law.
ANYWAY