Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-11-12

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The contest which is about to be made for
Mr.. Washburn's seat is one in which all
honest mon are interested. 1t is contest
to determine whether there is any such thing
as the purity of the ballot box. 1t is to de-
termine whether community shall be al
lowed to cast their unbiased vote, or whether
they shall be overridden by the use of money.
We do not believe there is one fair, candid
man in the State of Minnesota who will not
say that without the use of money, Wash
burn would have been overwhelmingly de-
feated. That he is defeated now by the le-
gal voters of the district is beyond question,
and his seeming majority comes solely from
bought, imported, and entirely bogus votes.
The use of money is the great demoraliz-
ing agency of our political system, and while
it cannot be entirely abrogated when a man
VIGOROUSLY purchases an Office, every good
citizen is interested in his exposure and pun
ishrnent. -Four years ago this district and
State was thoroughly demoralized by Bill
Kings campaign. The history of that is too
we'll known to need repetition here. This
year Mr.. Washburn deliberately entered upon
career Of corruption and rascality. He
began at the beginning, and, having
secured an early convention by trick,
sent men out through the district to buy up
the Republican primaries. This was done
in the most shameful and shameless man
ner, and DR.. Stewart, who steadily refused to
use money, was slaughtered. Having bought
the nomination he proceeded to purchase
an election. His career for the past three
months has been notorious and Infamous.
Everywhere that there was supposed to be a
venal Democrat or corrupt Republican he
was approached with offers of money for his
VOTE This conduct has been matter of
common conversation and notoriety among
Republicans. 1t was regarded so much as a
matter of course that but little attempt was
uade to conceal it, and men who changed
front explained themselves to their friends
by stating that they had been paid by Wash
burn for SO doing
The contest which Mr.. Washburn
VIII AHFO w 1dC0 ~ uOG III De-
half of Mr.. Donnelly, or the Demo.
cratic party. It is for the purity of the bal
lot box and the preservation of our institu-
tons. If it becomes acknowledged that no
poor man, no matter what his ability, can
obtain public position, it will bea sorry day
for the republic. If that is acknowledged,
it turns our public rulers over to dishonest
profigates, who have but to steal. wrong,
and debauch the people to receive any
place. The Third Minnesota district stands
to-day as the worst debauched of any in the
country. Fortunately the law gives a rem
edy, and the corruptionist who thus poisons
a community can be deprived of the fruits OF
his villainous course. That is what is pro-
posed to be done in Mr.. Washburn's case
If he is innocent, he should court the IN
quiry as means of vindication.
That this matter may be tested, we again
invite all parties having information to for
ward to the Democratic committee or to the
GLOBE, names of those who can, if they will
testify to the corruption of the late cam
paign. The source of all information fur
nished will be regarded as confidential when
desired.