The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-05-22
PURITY OF ELECTIONS.

Tho Senate to-day May 9th con-
CURED in the House amendments to
bill to preserve the
purity of elections in Ohio. 1t was
then signed by the President and is
now a law. The bill is SO sweeping
in its prohibition Of bribery, and the
use of gifts, favors and other cleo
pioneering appliances of every kind,
that it is a serious question with
some whether under its provisions
the next election will not result in
sending them to the pe~niteatiaEY in
stead of to the halls of the lhw4mak
ers sr ~ III nv.
The law, for such it is now, makes
it a penitentiary offense for any can
didate 10 use gifts or money, any
thing else of value, or to make prom
Uses of any gifts of rewards, directly
or indirectly, to secure votes or inlu-
ence for any office. The penalty is
a fine of from $500 to one $1,000,
ard Imprisonment in the penitentia-
~ not to exceed three years, and if
such offender shall have been elected
to any Office it shall be declared va
cant, and such person shall be de-
clared ineligible TO any Office Of trust
or profit. The law goes on to impose
the same penalties, except as to the
fine, which is increased to $4,000
against any person not a candidate,
lwho shall disburse or give away any
thing or treat with liquors directly
or in lirectly any n to influence
any voter. The same penalties are
laid down against any one for threat
ening To enforce the payment of a
debt, or to begin a criminal prosecua
sion or to injure business or trade
for the purpose of influencing votes.
1t does away at the same time with
the power of employers to Influence
their workmen by bringing them into
the category of criminals on convic-
ton of threatening to discharge en-
ployes or withholding their wages,
or refusing them time to attend the
election places for voting.
The lazy makes all kinds of bribery
at primaries punishable by a fine OF
not less than 500, and disqnalities
those found guilty of holding the of
fees they seek. The law has at the
same time incorporated in it pen
atty of fine and Imprisonment in a
county jail or workhouse for wlioev.
er asks, demands or receives from
any candidate fer the nomination by
any political party or Convention to
any office, or from any candidate fol
any office under anv law, any money
or other thing of value not thenedue
and owing; or making'applieation &c
any such candidate to purchase any
ticket to, or to give any money OF
other thing of value for any pre-
tended ball, picnic, fair, entertain
ment or charitable enterprise, with
the expectation or belief that such
demand, request or receipt will infiu
enee any yote.-Ctacinnati Enqniy'
en-.
The above election law to protect
the ballot box, is probably the sever
est on record, and we give the Dem
ocratic Legislature credit for it,
passage. It is a law that has beer
needed for many years, because of
flee seekers who we're freest will
their money were generally success
full. We want to see it enforced t,
the letter here in Eaton. There is
class of men that are now howin;
around us about the purity of tn,
~ballot-box, whom we know to hay,
scattered money time and again 70
the purpose of purchasing votes il
the interest of their party. Now W
want these ''bayonet" advocate
watched. The money of this Rim;
has controlled the political complex
ion of Preble county lorg enough
The election guloots. dead-beats an
black-mailers, under this law, can
not successfully ply their business
it hedges them too closely-there i
no chance for evasion or escape
and every man found violatin
should be prosecuted to its extern
We will publish the law in full i
our next issue, and propose that
shall be thoroughly circulatedinrth
county before the October election.
The New York Sun recalls tn
time when the Republican party wa
not clamoring for the p~reservatio
of the powers of &C coordinate brancl
es of the government, .as it now pre-
fesses to be. This was in 1856
when by hastily admitting ne
! States, Nebraska and Nevada, int
the Union the Republicans secure
; a two-thirds power in Congress
Then they proceeded to curtail Il
constitutional functions of Presidel
johnson. This daring majorit
drove through Congress the Tenul
of Civil Offices act, by which tt
President was virtually deprived {
r his constitutional right to makenon
r nations and appointments to office
a right which had never been disp1
, ted or assaulted in more than thre
Z quarters of a century of, experienc
+ The Senate was made to usurp
t part of this power, so that the Pre-
ident's hands were completely tie
Next they Invested the President
his Constitutional function of Coz
mander-in-C Chief of the army, al
assigned it to q subordinate-Ge
e Grant. In every sense this was re
I dictionary legislation without prec
dent or parallel. And now they CT
+ out because the Democrats insi
that no part of the supplies vot,
Y " II