The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-10-31
CORPUPTTON IN ENGLAND AND
THE UNITED STATES.

WHATEVER else may be said of the elections
in this country, they are remarkably free from
the vice which has always prevailed to an
alarming extent in England open pur-
chase of voters. Nearly every other form of
corruption is practised here to an alarming
extent. Men are paid for the exertion of their
influence in the election of delegates to nomi-
mating conventions, delegates are not unfre-
ouently bought outright, or men may be hired
IN perpetrate frauds on election days, but
Direct bribes are rarely offered to any con-
siderable portion of the mass of voters. In
Rhode Island it is said that hundreds, and
even thousands, of votes are sometimes pur-
chased. and in one of the counties OF New
Jersey the same practice is occasionally re-
sorted to; but these exceptions only prove the
nrevalence of the general rnle of abstinence
from this extravagant and foolish method of
influencing elections. We fear that many OF
our modern politicians are not whit more
virtuous than the British candidates for Par
lament They do not hesitate to buy seats
in the Senate from venal Legislatures or to
buy nominations; but the joint influence of
laws prohibiting open bribery to voters, the
conviction that vast amount of money may
be spent for that purpose without senslbly
affecting results, and the superior virtue OF
the American people, enable them to present
favorable contrast with their British cousins,
which is more apparent than real.
AS they have no equivalent in England for
our nominating system, the voters exercise
in many boroughs the powers which are eX-
ercised here in part by delegates; besides,
elections. which are so common and frequent
in the United States are comparatively rare
in Great Britain. So that it is somewhat
difficult to correctly estimate the extent of
the criuinality of the corruptionists Of the
two nations, but it is by no means improb-
able that in given period of say four years,
more money is corruptly used to secure the
nomination and election of Senators, Con-
eressmen, Governors, legislators, and other
officers in the United States than is expended
in bribes by the candidates for Parliament in
Great Britain. 1t must be confessed, how
ever, that some of the contests in England
are wonderfully expensive, and the investi'
cations recently made by Parliament
show that British voters have
not yet been cured of the venality for which
they have long been famous. 1t is only lately
that serious effort has been made to pre-
vent the systematic purchase of seats il
Parliament. The penalties inflicted were Sc
slight as to purposely encourage the con
tinuance of the practice, and one of the pecu
liarities of the British system was, that while
the voter who received bribe was subjected
to punishment in case of conviction, tht
candidate who corruptly used money to secure
his election was not liable to any legal, moral
OF social accusation of criminality. To re
form this evil late British law prescribes tn
remedy of temporary disqualitcation an
the man who is convicted of having resorte
to bribery cannot profit by his own wrong b
holding seat in Parliament. In this countr
the rigid application OF similar ru
would do more to purify our polite
than any measure which has hitherto bee
suggested. We, too, are guilty OF the err(
which the British Parliament suffered to r.
main uncorrected up to a recent period. If
man buys seat in the United States Senate
or buys an important nomination for lucr
tive Row Office, OF Governorship, or legi
lative or Congressional position, we quiet
permit him to enjoy the fruits of his iniquit
and pay q continual premium to rascality
suffering vice to stalk boldly into high pos
tions of honor and profit. Skill in the ar
of corruption is the most important qualific
ton of many of the leading politicians OF Il
day. This trait is condemned by publ
sentiment, but in the absence of legal &C
receives, popular indignation is >powe
less. The trail of the sc
pent will continue to be painful
apparent in many directions, so long as '
,nar,,it man to hold offices obtained direct
or indirectly by bribery.
Another feature of the new British syste
is that, instead Of accusations OF bride
being heard before Parliamentary comm
tee, they are investigated by commissi
possessing powers similar to those exercis
by Judges of courts. The opportunities
smothering up inquiry are thus grea
diminished. The application OF SINH
rule here would go far to aid in the suppr
sion of one of the glaring evils OF the di
If it was fairly in operation, and new
elected United States Senator from Penns
yania, for instance, was suspected OF havl
Maid idmembers of the Legislature for their vot
tbissuspicion would be subjected to q jude
inquiry, and if it was found to be W.
grounded, the aspirant for seat in the Capi
building at Washington would be Obliged
return to private life. We are now wltnou
remedy against the corruption OF legiSiat
whose venality has become even more no
rious than the venality Of the electors oil
,,,oret d;cfricts of Graat Rritain EXDerlel