The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-25

we shall be alternately shocked and amused
for some time to come by the reports that
Will reach us of the strange articles the ac-
commodating postman has had to deliver.
We shall scarcely, however, be carried back
to the primitive days when a member
of the government sent by post
two maids going as laundresses to my Lord
Ambassador Methurn," though it is not
probable, if we were, that serious objections
would be raised either by clerks or delivery
servants.
POLITICS THAT NEED PURIFYING.
With these improvements in the executive
department of the government, England, it
is pleasing to note, is making strenuous eff
forts to purify and elevate the body which
makes her laws. Considering how made
quately the British House of Commons repre-
sents the popular voice, and the base methods
that have been allowed hitherto in securing
seats in that chamber, one is surprised, not
only at the excellent character of the legis-
ton that has emanated from it, but also, and
chiefly, at the admirable manner in which
It's enactments have been put into effect If
the public service of the country has been
remarkable for its purity, certainly its par
llamentary life has on the other hand, been
equally notorious for the corruption that
has disgraced it. What CARLYLE said on this
subject forty years ago could have been
written with scarcely any loss of appropri-
ateness at any time prior to the last general
| election. England" he observed in his
characteristic way, will verify have to put
an end to briberies on her election hastings,
and elsewhere, at whatever cost soever and
likewise that we electors and eligbles one
and all of us, for our own behoof
and hers, cannot too soon begin,
at what cost soever, to put an
end to Probabilities in ourselves. The death
leprosy, attacked in this manner by purify
ing lotions from without, and by rallying of
the vital energies from within, will probably
abate somewhat. 1t has otherwise no chance
to abate. If England cannot get her knaves
and dastards arrested in some degree, but
only get them elected, what is to become of
England?' That these structures have not
yet lost their relevancy is shown by the
enormous cost of several elections of recent
date. In one case a member who had no
| competitor, got into the present Parliament
only at an outlay of $40, 000 A county cleo
ton in Yorkshire cost $4,000, and of that
sum the contestant who carried the day paid
| 81, 100, There are gentlemen sitting in the
| House who paid at the rate of about $40 for
every vote they received, and these are only
few examples out of many Happily, how
ever the era of parliamentary corruption is
coming to an end. The hour of reform has
| struck, and when the corrupt practices bill
| shall become a law as it will shortly, a
| change will be effected such as, if he we're
still living, would make even Thomas Car
| lyle happy. The way members have tied
| themselves up by this measure is highly
creditable to their good intentions, though it
shows great distrust of self. They doubtless
| felt that however willing the spirit, the flesh,
| at election times, without a stringent law
| would not be equal to the pressure of old
| habits and associations. One of the most
radical features of the bill in question is the
| Sti Lott
OF money candidate may spend.
HOW MUCH A CANDIDATE MAY SPEND.
If the borough contains not more than
| 1000 votes, he must lay out upon it, exclu-
sive of his personal expenses, and OF what IS
paid to the returning officer, not more than
81, $50, and an amount not exceeding $3.50
for every additional thousand In county
elections he may spend $1,000 if the voters
number 1000 or less, and for every thousand
beyond the first two, 5000 extra. Not only
does the bill stipulate the maximum amount
to be expended, 1t also provides how and for
what purposes the expenditure shall be
made. The legitimate expenses of an cleo
ton are defined as follows:
Personal expenses of candidate; charge
made by returning officer; salaries of a gen.
eral election agent and of one sub-agent for
every polling place; salaries of polling agent,
one clerk and one messenger for each polling
place; expenses of public meetings cost of
stationery printing, advertising postage and
hiring of committee-rooms In boroughs
the candidate is allowed one committee room
| for every 500 voters, and in counties central
room, and one in addition for every polling
| place. These committee-rooms are not TO be
| in public houses or in places of refreShment
OF any kind. The election agent is to re-
ceive from the candidate the money neces-
sary for these legitimate expenses, and when
the election is over he must make a return
OF the amount received and of how it has
been disbursed, swearing to the same before
a justice of the peace, the candidate likewise
making an affidavit of its correctness This
report is to be published in not less than
| two newspapers within the county or Dor
ough, and it is to be held by the returning
officer, subject to public inspection for the
| space of two years. The penalties following
an infraction of this new law are very severe
A candidate who is found guilty of bribery
or attempt to bride, of treating or offering to
| treat, of using any form of undue intiu-
ence, can never sit in Parliament for the
| borough or county in which the offense oc-
| Cured, nor for any other place, for seven
wears after the date of the offense and in
addition is liable, on Indictment for a cor
rupt practice to one years imprisonment
| with or without hard labor or to fine of
not more than $1,000. He also loses the
privilege of voting for seven years. An
| election agent, or private individual, guilty
of q similar otfense is subject to the same
punishment, and a candidate who commits
bribery or resorts to treating, or who uses
undue influence through his representatives
suffers substantially the same disabilities as
though the act was his own. In the matter
of treating and bribery, those who accept are
held to be equally criminal with those who
give or offer To employ more persons than
those above named is to be guilty of illegal
employment To pay money for any pur-
pose not named in the bill is to be guilty of
Illegal payment, To hire a conveyance to
take people to the polls, or to hire bands of
music, torches. etc, or to pay an eector to
display election posters on his premises is