If his
activities be of such nature that he does not care to reveal
them in the manner indicated, then the public interest is
obviously endangered. It is no more than a prudent safeguard to
have it known what influences are at work with respect to
legislation. There ought to be no temporizing with this
situation."
In the first year of his administration he combated an attempt
to annul the workmen's compensation law by an improper
referendum and vigorously cleaned up the situation by causing
the arrest of those who had conspired to falsify names to
petitions. The Governor followed up his activity for clean
administration of the referendum system by comprehensive laws in
1914, since when no abuses have been discovered. What he said to
the General Assembly gave a further indication of his policy in
this respect. He said:
"The underlying spirit of the corrupt practice laws in the state
and nation is the ascertainment of the influences behind
candidates or measures. We can with profit compel a sworn
itemized statement when the petition is filed showing all money
or things of value paid, given or promised for circulating such
petitions."
In the campaign of 1916, in which Governor Cox was re-elected,
assertions were made of large improper expenditure of money in
defiance of the law. In the following January at the regular
session of the General Assembly, the Governor indicated his
position by calling for a special legislative inquiry.
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