Developments of the present campaign have given a peculiar interest to past history with respect to the record of Governor Cox in dealing with campaign expenditures.  The Governor’s reports, which have been filed under the Ohio Corrupt Practice law, show that he has never been an extravagant spender in campaigns.  In his various races for the Governor’s office in Ohio one of the points which he has claimed is the redemption of pledges made to the people.  Under one of these pledges he advocated and secured the enactment of an anti-lobby law, designed to reduce the evils attendant upon the presence of a legislative lobby.  He found upon the statute books of Ohio a corrupt practice act and this was strengthened by laws passed during his term.  In taking hold as Governor in 1913, he demanded and secured a rigid lobby law.  Of this he said: 

“Conditions not only justify but demand drastic anti-lobby law.  Any person interesting himself in legislation will not, if his motive and cause be just, object to registering his name, residence and the matters he is espousing, with the secretary of state, or some other authority designated by your body.  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.  The statements he made furnish an interesting background for the developments of the year.  At that time he said: