impossible for the Democrats to assume voluntarily a higher standard regarding publicity which they could then use as a campaign argument against the Republicans.[80] There is one form of publicity before election, if it may be considered such, which while not a matter of public discussion would seem advisable in any event. Laws should require that all candidates must be furnished with daily accounts of the financial operations both as to receipts and expenditures of campaign committees and others acting in their interest. Even under the old régime of secrecy scandalous exposures sometimes occurred. Confronted by such untoward circumstances partisans always urged in defence that the candidate himself was the soul of honesty and that he was as ignorant as a new-born babe of the dirty work carried on by a handful of irresponsible and corrupt friends. No doubt there have been many cases where the moral insulation thus alleged really existed. On the other hand some of these pleas in defence and extenuation were abject farces. They should be prevented once for all by providing that every candidate must be fully and promptly informed regarding the financial conditions of his campaign. Indeed he is entitled to this information in advance of the public, for his personal honour is at stake. If, then, he should disapprove of the measures employed in his behalf he can take such action as may seem desirable to clear his reputation. If, on the other hand, he is willing that dubious methods should be resorted to, let him not attempt to play upon the credulity of the public in case of exposure.[81] It is notorious that the last refuge of a discredited machine is the nomination of a man whose personal honesty is above suspicion, and his election by every possible crooked device. While the campaign is going on the “irreproachable candidate” is kept carefully in ignorance of the methods of his more “practical” managers. After the election he may be told of them if it is necessary to force his compliance to corrupt bargains made in his behalf. Pre-election campaign publicity for the particular information of candidates ought to make it more difficult for a machine _in extremis_ to save itself by the nomination of “irreproachables.” Or if they are nominated they will at least be able to insist on the “irreproachable” conduct of their campaign. In any event such publicity would provide the voters with candidates of whom it might be assumed in every case that they knew exactly what sort of methods were being used to secure their election.