Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1880-04-05
NsLAND ELECTIONS.

Americans reading in their " homo
papsr. about fraud. wire-pulling. Tam
many corruption, bribery and oil that
sort of thing in connection with general
elections, are apt to think that our
county is exceptionally bad in that re-
snsc.. that We have too much freedom
and liberty with the ballot. and that
elections in other countries, especially
In the old. ws~ll.rssulatsd nations and
governments Of Europe, are all right.
stringent. according to ong.sstabli'hsd
rule, and necessarily the correct thing.
Il should be borne in mind. however,
tha. America is . vigorous child OF merry
old England. and has inherited many Of
her psculiaritiss. political as well as So
cisl and national. And yet old England
remains herself and retains her old
features in many things. and We do not
net ahead OF her much even in the mat
ter Of political tactics. The t~slegrsPhic
accounts Of the Parliamentary election
held in England last Wednesday have a
very familiar sound. and read something
like the returns from our own elections.
They have their Liberals" 'Conssrva-
tives," Tories" etc.. opposition par
ties, same as We have. and they certainly
have fully a. much s~lectionssring. live
working. excitement. dsmagogism. coin
and ballot manipulation, sly drinking
and general fun on such occasions - We
have. An Eastern exchange thus touches
mp some Of the psculiarities Of English
elections:
The colored posters used arc among the
most amusing features Of . campaign. ~
the people can always tell BY the color Of q
postsr ON q fence whether 10 be Tory or
WING, Conservative or Liberal. The colors
used 10 be those Of the Universities. the
Tories using the dark Oxford blue, and the
Liberals light Cambridge blue, these colors
being either In tho letters On white or
black ground or in Q background for
black letters. The Conservatives still
clothe their thoughts In the royal purple
on dead walls and board partitions. but the
Liberals have adopted the most radical oil
oolors, q fiery or bloody red. Not only on
enormous bills do these colors advertise
the hue Of the politics Of contending can.
didates, but on tickets, ballots, personal
announcements, and in every species OF
printing incident to q political campaign.
the blue and the red symbolic the senti.
ments Of the respective parties. The
voters must SEQ the color OF their favorits's
ballots a. we'll Is Of his money.
The addresses to the electors are another
peculiar feature. The candidate 10 greatly
mistaken who imagines that in his first
address filled with glittering g.neralities
pro or con on the leading questions oil the
day, he has satisfied his worthy fellow pa
triots with regard 10 his political standing
He may hurrah for tho Empire. or decry
Bssconsield's foreign tactics; he may
swear by the Imperial Parliament. or howl
for Home Rule; he may spend from f5oo
TO f20os in convincing his constituents oil
his honor and his devotion TO thsir inter
ests. but all this. although absolutely nee
es,ary. 10 Of no use until he has issued one
or more supplementary addresses, which
he does after he finds out what his constit
uents want Of him. This they very soon
let him know by calling on him in deputa'
tons to ask him what hs 10 going to do
about this or that local Affair. In . brew
ing town he must not oppose any prohibit
tory law; In . manufacturing town he
must steer carefully between the wishes oil
capital and Of labor; and he Is fortunate
II he does not get himself entanglsd with
some women's society. And then more
posters come out, and people play practical
Jokes in every conceivable way. VIII
even pelt . favorite candidate with Hour
and boot at him. Just for fun" and 50
and vote for him afterwards.