Next to contributions by corporations political contributions from candidates would seem to stand most in need of restriction. The English Corrupt and Illegal Practice Prevention Act is very explicit and drastic on this subject. It even goes to the length of forbidding contributions for charitable purposes subsequent to the public announcement of the candidate’s intention to stand for a borough. Our own legislation, however, has been very fragmentary except in so far as candidates were affected by the general publicity requirements. By an act which went into effect, August, 1892, Massachusetts prohibited political committees from soliciting contributions from candidates who, however, might “make a voluntary payment of money—for the promotion of the principles of the party which the committee represents, and for the general purposes of the committee.” While doubtless excellent as a statement of ideal relations it is questionable whether this enactment materially increased the obstacles intervening between campaign committees and candidates’ pocketbooks. At least the legislature of the same state found it necessary in 1908 to provide that political committees should not solicit money from a candidate as a prerequisite to giving him his nomination papers.[86] A new departure was made by the Ohio law of 1896, known as the Garfield Act,[87] which endeavoured to grade candidates’ expenses according to the number of votes cast, limiting them to $100 for five thousand voters or less, and providing that they should not exceed $650 in any case.[88] In case of violation the office of a successful candidate could be declared vacant at any time during his term. California, Missouri, Montana, Minnesota, and New York, have also attempted the limitation of candidates’ contributions or expenditures.[89] In 1895, Connecticut and New York forbade contributions by candidates except to authorised committees or party agents.[90] California, in 1907, adopted the rather doubtful expedient of limiting contributions from candidates according to the length of term and salary of the office for which they are contesting.[91] Perhaps the most significant step that has been taken in this direction was the action of New York which in 1906 prohibited contributions from candidates for judicial offices.[92]