New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-05-29
FIGHTING FIRE WITH 4 FAN.

The cagerncss with which men hasten TO
apply the remedy OF legislation to all social
and political evils receives new illustration
in the introduction in the Connecticut Leglsla-
ture OF a proposed amendment to the Consti-
tuition TO prevent bribery. Ii requires ""
person elected to Office to make oath that ho
has not directly nor indirectly offered or re
ceivcd a bride, and in its details resembles
the law upon that subject now iii force IN this
State. Ii was introduced by a Republican
member and doubtless was suggested by oc-
curTences in connection with the recent cleo
ton in that State The contest for the Scna-
torship. in which the claims Of two candidates
were urged upon the party III power upon
the sole ground of liberal contributions
to the election fund, made it necessary
10 give publicity to transactions usually
kept secret. The patriotic legislator, in order
to decide irJeligently between the two gene
rous contributors, had 10 be informed as to
the amount furnished by each. So it came
out that from these two aspirants Tor Senate
rial hOnurs the Democratic State Committee
had So 900 to use for election purposes, TO
say nothing Of contributions from other sources.
If is ONLY reasonable and fair presumption
that large portion of this sum was either
corruptly used or fObbed by the Committee
The legitimate expenses of the campaign as 1t
WAC conducted formed bu6 small pant OF this
large outlay. Naturally enough the Repub-
leans who were the losers by it oppose
such lavish use Of money. They say, very
properly and truly, that it is vicious and de-
noralizng. Ii certainly il, and has always
been held so. Particularly hy the party suffering
from or defeated by it. There's no such hot
indignation ana virtuous horror of fraudulent
practices anywhere as that exhibited by party
which has suffered from them. And they usually
make it their first duty and their first use OF
mower TO get after the other side with some
sort of law or an increase of penalty. As If
that were either preventive or remedy.
The proposed enactment to prevent bribery
seems very proper thing. There are already
laws against bribery, and any person VIII"
could be proved guilty Of it would not only be
expelled from the Legislature, but might be
criminally prosecuted and otherwise punished
So upon the face of it there seems no harm
in requiring q member of the Legislature to
swear that he has not committed the
olfense. But, after all, is it sound policy z
Is it believed that any person who has the
means and the disposition to buy an ONCE by
corrupting tho ballot and bribing the voter
will be deferred from it by the fact that be-
fore entering upon the office he must
subscribe 10 an oath such IS that
described ia it not the plainest
teaching Of experience that the effect # every
such law is not to prevent the CRIME it is
aimed at but to add to it PERJURY We had
in this State an exhibition of the operation of
Just such provision at the assembling of cw
State Legislature last January. 1t may not be
susceptible of such proof as wOuld be required
in a court of law, but it is morally certain,
and no one who has any knowledge OF the
methods and practices of our politics and pol
iticians has any doubt whatever of the fact
that many of the men who took the oath re-
quired committed conscious and deliberate per-
jury. And they themselves hardly pretended
to conceal it. They took the oath with tongue
in cheek and jerk of the thumb over the left
shoulder and o wink at the spectators as