, 1873-05-15

How ELECTIONS ARE CaRRIED.--Be,
fore ali Investigating Committee Of th,
New York Legislature, recently. the no
toEious Jay Gould gave the following
testimony:
To Mr.. Carpenter I remember send
ing scme money up to Grange and Sui
liyan counties, to carry the Republican
ticket, and I succeeded. Ialways think
j. better 10 ray your money in that way
than to Pay it afterward-you get better
results. Laughter I don't remem
Der how much. Whatever they said
was necessary; several thousands | be-
lieve. l believe | made the arrange
Inent through Senator Madden. don't
remember in how many other Senator
ial districts l have paid money IN to
elect certain men, but guess in all. ]
was beset with applicationsfrom all sides.
1t was the custcr. Cannot give any
idea Of the amounts Of money l have
paid. We had four States to look after
New York. New Jersey, Pennsylvania
and Ohio-and l have spent thousands
in all of them. In Republican dis
trict was a strong Republican. In a
Democratic district l was the strongest
kind Of democrat; in doubtful districts
7 was doubtful, I was an Erie railroad
man every time, but l was SO mixed po-
liticaily that don't know what am.
[Laughter[ Couldn't pretend to say
how many men l have assisted.
This is an other evidence Of fact
well known before, that party politics
are merely matter of money, and that
popular elections are simply commercial
transactions, like The contests between
the bulls and bears" on 'cnange;
the spoils of office and Government jobs
and subsidies being the prizes contend
ed for by the S heming politicians.
Railroad Combinations, bank syndi-
Gates and brokers' rings, invest their
money in elections, send their agents
and attorneys to Congress or State Leg
islatures, and make large dividends out
of the appropriations from the public
treasury, or by special grants which en-
able them to lsvy contributions upon
the people. Thus are the people first
corrupted and then forced to pay for
their own corruption through legisla-
tive subsidies and legalised nonopolles.
That the last Presidential election was
carried by the free use of corruption
money, is not denied by the victorious
party, but rather boasted Of as en- evil
dence of superior fnesse. 1t was coll
ceded by all that the result Of the Octo-
her elections III Pennsylvania, Ohio and
Indiana, would determine the contest,
and it was generally admitted that with
out the greatest exsrtions to prevent ii,
all of those States would go for The re-
form movement represented in the nom-
ination of Mr.. Greeley. Among the
means adopted to that end, were nego-
tiations entered into with number of
guilds and labor associations in Phila-
delphia, representing an aggregate of
30 coo voters. While these negotiations
were pending, the friends OF the Admin
istration were not allhopeful OF success;
but Immediately after they were closed
just before the elections, the result was
announced by telegraph, that 'Pennsy'-
vania is certain for the Republican tick
et.' The sum paid for that vote, as is
now generally known, was So. 600, ,00d,
raised principally BY the party brokers
Of New York city, interested N Govern
ment subsidies and piekings. Ohio and
Indiana were carried BY similar means,
ard the contest for President was vir-
tually closed. From that day Grant
walked over the course almost without
opposition.
The same system Of corruption pre-
walls wherever the old party organiza-
tions are maintained, and is constantly
getting worse. The only remedy for
the growing evil is in the people. They
can end it at once by refusing TO submit
to party discipline, to be used as instrn-
ments and tools by party managers.
whose sole claim to their support is
based upon party fidelity. All admit
age 10 bear the taunts aud abuse of
their leaders as recreants tG their party
obligations.