The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1874-09-08

S'A report is current that the
Athens ring has already put up five thou
sand dollars to secure the election of
VAN Worries. We do not know how
much nor how little truth there may be
in the report, but We do know that the
growing practice of using large sums Of
money in controlling conventions and
elections is becoming a curse to our
country.
We are informed, as we believe relia
bly,, that the success of Mr.. SPRAeUE in
this district cost, in each campaign, be
tween three thousand and five thousand
dollars. If this be true his pockeling of
the salary grab was precisely what might
have been:expected. Nothing is more
natural than for NAN who spends for
tune in securing an Office, to try and
make fortune out of it.
But the practice is attended with othar
evils besides the temptation it offers for
corruption. The system once establish
ed in a county or district is exceedingly
difficult to reform 1t brings into activ
ity swarm of bummers and leeches
who learn to regard candidates as their
legitimate prey. Once accustomed to
receiving money for partisan services,
every candidate too conscientious to en-
ploy them incurs their inveterate hostili-
ty,; and if offers to aid will not bring
money to their pockets, they try the Of
feet of blackmailing. To these miscre-
ants may be traced three.fourths of all
the calumnies current about election
times.
Another evil that results from this sys-
tenn is, that it renders poor man virtu'
ally ineligible to lucrative offices, and
gives to wealthier aspirants the exclusive
privilege of becoming candidates for the
more honorable and profitable positions.
Happily we have but little of this evil
in our county, but it prevailsin our State,
and is stealtlily creeping into even our
party in our congressional district. AL
ready it has become quite common to
hear it said OF Mr. So-and-so, "He can't
be candidate for Congress; he can't
spare the money to carry on a cam
paign."
There are sordid creatures in this as
well as other districts who get to be del.
egates to Conventions, and then use theil
cunning to secure the nomination of the
man who is able and willing to pay them
most literally for their campaign work.
These creatures without having mucl
influence are often successful IA control
ling considerable number Of votes by
sheer inpudonce and deception. Candi
dates soon learn that one, Of these fel
lows can procure for him more vote:
than can half dozen hoaest men who
attend solely to their own business.
There is not particle of doubt tha
this free and often illegitimate use o
money in controlling elections, is a.
much the cause as the result of the wide
spread corruption which prevails among
public officials. When candidate putt
up five thousand dollars to obtain an of
flee which pays over other expenses bu
four thousand, there is good reason t.
spprehend that he contemplates making
the Office in some way reimburse him.
| AS this practice has scarcely a begin
ming in our county, and but lately foot
hold in our district, we urge upon ou
people to frown it down, or that failing
stamp it down, wherever it makes its ap
pearance. Carried TO its extreme limits
1t is simply an iadirect method of sellin!
public offices to the highest bidder.
bad for the Summer Capital.
1t is claimed that all the Executiv
a~r D,o,oh qua ,,,ll 4, -,