Litchfield enquirer., 1879-11-20

time secure the support of the more intelligent of our foreign born citizens, as it now does of the majority who are to the manner born.
 LGstly-It would seem to be possible to conduct an election without a large expendi- ture of money. The Hartford Times to the contrary notwithstanding, it is evident that but little money was used in the late election Had there been, there would have been much larger Democratic representation in the next General Assembly. Every one who is at all conversant with our elections, knows that there is avery large element in the democratic party who have to be interested In some way, or they will neither work or vote for the party. The local managers in Onr towns know that this is so, and in many instances they are sick and tired of this sort of thing, and would be glad of change, were it possible to effect one. Can it be done? As g partial remedy for some of the evils attending the use of money 1n our elections, offer the following suggestions:
 There are certain legimate expenses attending borne by the people at large, like any other proper public expense. Let there be chosen, by each party, in each town, at the time of electing Town Committees, some citizen of let the Town Committee make an estimate of the probable amount of money necessary to the proper conduct of the canvass, such as registration, procuring of ballots, employing ff, oxofc t<, l,o polls, club room, etc, etc.; and then let the funds wanted be openly solicited from the party at large, the principle being that all local expenses should be borne by each locality in dependent of the State Committee. Then let the State Committee attend to the more public features of the canvass, such as procuring and sending out speakers. disseminating informa- tion, procuring the canvass of the State at the campaign, etc., etc.
 In my judgment, such a course of action effect several Improvements over our present methods. It would insure certain amount of oversight over the acts and expenditures of our town committees, by the reputable men of each party for, if persons get into the habit of giving money to promote the success of the party, they would be more likely to see to it that the money was properly used, and it would to some extent at least, check the use of money by the private agents of candidates. A large source of trouble about money in cleo tions is the fact that it is used by persons who are not known as committeeman but who are acting as agents to promote the Success of some particular candidate Let it be under stood that all money needed for local expenses would be forthcoming in each locality, and the temptation to which candidates are now sub- ject would in a measure be removed, while at the same time the use of money by other than the committees would at once excite sus- picion and condemnation
 The course suggested would place the bur- don the people at large, to whom it properly belongs, and take it from the shoulders of the ofice-holders and the candidates, making it possible for man of moderate means to as- pire to the honor of public office; and it would greatly diminish the power of the ma- chine, for it would prevent any set of men from claiming that by reason of what they have done, they should have the right of dic- tating the nominations of the party. do not believe, as some do, that votes are actually bought to any great extent, as think that a large part of the money that the deluded can- didate feels obliged to contribute, is quietly ''smouched' by the fuglemen who have the handling of the same but there is enough of it done to excite grave apprehension, and I am firmly of the opinion that some such course as the one have sugges, ed would go far tow ards preventing the scandal. If party is too poor to pay it's necessary current expenses, let it die the death.' OBSERVER