UNITED STATES HISTORY 74S 



ful in the primaries. Ten Northern states have adopted the " Oregon plan," under 

 which each candidate for the state legislature must stipulate whether he will follow 

 implicitly the popular choice for senator expressed in the general election. Thus in 

 1909 the Republican legislature in Oregon felt constrained to choose a Democrat. 

 In response to the general demand, a resolution providing for the popular election of 

 Senators was brought into the Senate in July, 1911. Apparently in the hope that the 

 measure thus amended would be beaten by Democratic votes, an amendment was 

 adopted giving the national government supervision over such elections. The Southern- 

 ers took alarm, fearing the enfranchisement of the negro. But though they managed 

 to defeat the resolution twice in 1911, they accepted it in 1912 believing that the 

 Federal government would not assert its right to control the elections. This proposed 

 1 7th amendment was ratified by Massachusetts, May 22, Arizona, June 3, and Min- 

 nesota, June 12, 1912, and by several states early in 1913. 



A determined effort is also being made to prevent the lavish use of money in the 

 elections, especially the money of corporations, which not infrequently subsidise both 

 the leading parties in order to make doubly sure of favourable consideration 

 Corrupt afterwards. The legislation on the subject is, for the most part, very recent. 



aofs. <XS The Federal law of 1907 prohibits all corporations from assisting candidates 

 for national office and all corporations chartered by the United States from 

 making any campaign contribution whatever; the law of 1910 requires publicity in the 

 case of expenditures made by individuals and organisations which take part in the 

 Federal election campaign in two or more states; and the law of 1911 requires publication 

 of the accounts of candidates for Federal office before and after the primaries and 

 elections, and limits to $10,000 and $5,000 respectively the amounts which candidates 

 for the Senate and the House may spend personally. More than three-quarters of 

 the states have passed campaign publicity laws. Of these 21 prohibit corporations 

 from contributing, and require the publication of accounts after the primaries as well 

 as after the election. About the same number of states limit the amount of expen- 

 ditures, either by fixing a definite maximum for each office or a percentage of the first 

 year's salary or a sum varying with the number of votes cast for the office in the last 

 election. The Wisconsin law of 1911 is considered very complete. In conformity with 

 the most approved tendency it enumerates the purposes for which expenses may be 

 incurred, instead of merely forbidding, as state laws used to do, certain specified acts 

 such as intimidation and bribery. Candidates and their agents must both file itemised 

 statements. An interesting feature is the publicity pamphlet, published by the state 

 and sent to all voters, in which candidates may print their biographies and indicate 

 the policies for which they stand. 



None of the reform ideas promise more for the improvement of American politics 

 than the Short Ballot principle. The multiplication of elective offices which took place 

 toward the middle of the nineteenth century has overburdened and con- 

 baiiot. fused the voter, making him accept the straight party ticket without con- 

 sidering the merits of the candidates. Some of the primary ballots in 

 New York in 1912 were fourteen feet long. It is now proposed to strike at the power 

 of the political boss and the political machine by placing in the hands of the voter a 

 ballot which he can mark more simply and intelligently. In state government the 

 tendency is to bring the administrative officers directly under the control of the gov- 

 ernor, thus centring executive responsibility and power. California has eliminated 

 two officers from the elective list; Illinois, Ohio, and New York are expected to follow 

 suit. A beginning has also been made toward the reform of county government along 

 the same lines. The short ballot idea was endorsed by the three leading candidates 

 for president in 1912. The idea has won its chief success, however, in the adoption of 

 what is known as commission government. Up to the end of 1912 more than 200 

 cities in thirty-four states had substituted for the mayor and council a small board 

 elected on a general ticket and wielding both executive and legislative power. Recently 

 two large cities, New Orleans and St. Paul, have adopted this form of government. 



