The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1883-06-12 00:00:00

Montt Cottutg (blank

DORCHESTER, JUNE 12113. 1883.

CORRUPT PRACTICES AT ELECTIONS.

11th. Government should succeed in carrying the
Corrupt Practices Bill something will have been dose
to redeem the character of the Session. There seems
a fair probability of this, and the chance is the greeter
Bola the fact that the measure has been, happily,
removed front party considerations. The Liberal has
sot a greater interest in the purity of election than the
Coneervative, and we should imagine that deeire for
diminished expenditure is felt in an equal degree by
both. It may be said, furthermore, that the one can
ley jest as little claim to innocence as the other. It
may be, sets asserted, that bribmy was resorted to In
the first instance by the Whigs. Enough, however, ,
has transpired since that period, wh it was, to
prove that the offence woe extensively copied, and very
soon became, indeed, a second nature with politicises
of all shades of opinion. It is a remarkable fact that,
much as the national conscience bas been awakened in
this matter, it is one of the most difficult things in the
world to chock oorruption. Bribes can be compared
to nothing better than the will-o-the-wisp. It be.
hitherto eluded effectually the grasp o, the purist. If
chased away in one spot, it re-appeared in another.
Its shapes, too, are Protean; at one moment dreeerd
In the guise of business or trade, anon assuming the
garb of sociability, and sometimes even putting on the
mask of piety. As the member for Newcastle remarked
with regard to the Papal Bull against Comet., Tow
manot catch it." It would seem as if human nature
could not be touched by legislation, however search-
ing or far-seeing. To tasks the matter more perplex.
Ind, It Is not the guiltiest who bare been &sari.
ably deprived of their mate ; it is not the most
culpable who have felt the smart of die-
honour. We know that the candidate who
it content to pay large sums without mach enquiry,
to not free from blame. Al the same time, we know
that the paid agent, who is really the guilty party,
obtains reward, and escapee with impunity. It is
satisfactory to see that the framers of the present
Nieman have had the latter in their eye. If be can-
not be altogether prohibited, be is in future to be
eligobed, and his actions well watched. Another
&valuable feature of the Bill is its recognition of the

feet that bribery abeam smoothing mom than par-
abolise • rots by a mom mossy payment. Political
pisnias, largo suboariptioos to local inatitatioos, support
to Party Clubs, poriodieal banquets, are so msay bids

for muter favour, sod is such acts of bribery,
though, of course. externally more respectable than
Jorenars to struggling shopkeepers. Well, le gialatioo

cannot be expected to check bribery of the respectable
kind alluded to ; but it can render illegal certain
features of it, particularly thaw acts of wholesale
treadng which go by the 1241130 of soirees and banquets.
We de no difficulty lit prohibiting all gatherhigs of
this nature ideetified with one particular party, nor
do we pm why even clubs should be permitted to exist
which have the avowed object of affording drooled
privileges to voters as well as facilities for the
purenanos of corruption. But the Bill can be mod
4/active, we apprehend, in " waging war," as
the Attorney General term d it, with eleotieneering
agent.. This* are thl chief promoters of existing
evils, and the soured whence aprin,.; the objectionable
inetanosis. 01108 get fid of them, mid canvassing
itself would bec ate comparatively pure and justifiable.
At present it la simply a vehicle for the word of
practices, and the very plague-spot of elections We
trust the Bill will paw, sin:. it undoubtedly aims at
destroying some of the met mischievous evils without
interferiag manly with individual or collet:ire flee-
dom.

Lord 'Randolph Churchill has certainly icaed •
pont in getting Mr. Gladstone to admit the propriety
of keeping at the fforeign Office • record of the
Eningten mission. Sir Stafford Northcote endorsed
the conduct of his erratic and often rebellions follower.
But it is unfortunate that he so often allows the wind
to be taken out of his sails by Lord Randolph. The
matter was Important enough t have I•een taken in
head by the leader of the Opposition. It is not politic
no bis part to app•sr in often as an accessory after the
hat to movement& taken by Ins would-be rival. It
would deprive the small body of Conservative mutt.
seers of some ground for their pretensions, if Sir
Staord took the Initiative in criticising Ministerial
policy= any given subject or else remained altogether
silent.

It seems • ridiculous thin; to create a new office,
sad then within a o niple of years appoint • com-
mittee to enquire in the ditties of the office. The
duties of the Publio Prosecutor ought, one would
think, to have been defined in the first instanes.
Sir. John NoWle is • very able lawyer and highly
respected, and, if to has not done all thet was
expecitedel him, it should be borne in mind that he hat
an overwhelming mass of work. The special committee
ocinsiets wholly of lawyers with the exception of Sir
Henry Rolland and Lord Randolph Chnrchill. The
Government seem willing ti give Lord Rardoltli
tplesty to do on Parliamentary Committee, possibly
la fee hops that such employment will absorb some of
bb feverish energy.