Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-12-23
ENGLISH ELECTION CORRUPTION.
The Scandaious Practices Which Rum
Up the Candidates Bill OF Expendi-
[Cor. Chicago Tribune.1

[Cor. Chicago Tribune.]
With few exceptions the aspirants for par
iamentary honors in England heretofore
have been very rich men. and they have spent
their money freely to obtain the honor Of a
seat in ''the first assembly of gentlemen in
the world" From the time the campaign
opened until it closed the town was en- fete.
The aim of the candidate was, as one who has
been himself candidate, Mr. j. E. Gorst, M.
z, says, 'sto distribute money among the
greatest number of electors possible, and a
candidate who refused to conform to this uni
versal custom had OF was believed to have
no chance of being returned" Every article
purchased for the candidates use cost double
its value. All classes shared in plucking him,
from the bill-poster to the newspaper pub
fishers who charged him special rates for
publishing his address, printing his biography
and circulating extra editions containing his
speeches The amount Of posters and adj
dresses printed was amazing, and the bill
stickers and the billboard owners proited
largely. Every public house was patronized
as matter of course. Whisky and beer
flowed like water, and the free and indepen
dent elector, and non-electors, men and
women, boys and girls, made merry over and
got gloriously drunk during the contest be-
tween the two aspirants for seat in 'the
drst assembly of gentlemen" etc.
1t has not been unusual for candidate to
spend as high as $3.50, 900 in a single contest
and this exclusive of the annual donations in
support of public charities and institutions
The expenditure at last became so scandal
ous, and led to such an alarming state of cor
ruption and to so much crime in the Dor
oughs after and before election, that SWEEP
ngl enedy was deemed necessary. The corrupt
practices act, introduced by Mr.. Henry
James, is believed to be such remedy. It is
Of the most stringent character, and is de-
scribed by the Tory members as Draconian in
It's severity.
According to its provisions the expenditures
IT candidates are limited an itemized list of all
expenses has to be submitted to the returning
officers; a candidate is responsible for the
acts of his agents, and anything they do in
The way of treating, bribery, or corrupt use
Of money or influence is punished by loss of
seat and disability to again enter parliament
for the same borough. The limitation Of ex-
penses is s., 500 for boroughs of 1900 voters,
and $500 are allowed for every additional
1000 voters. The amount to be spent in
printing and advertising, and bill-posting is
limited to e100 No money can be paid for
bunting, ''colors" not being allowed, as they
tended to lead to rioting, To treat voter
to a glass of beer or to engage a public
house or hotel where liquor is sold is
an offense, as it is also to pay for the convey
ance of voters to the polls. The "cabbies'
suffer with the bill-sticlzer, the editor of The
Bugle and the messenger boy Circulars
have to be sent to the postofice. The ballot
act did away with the canvassers' election
day, and no British city enjoys the luxury of
the ticket peddlers. Band wagons are out OF
the question. Under Sir Henry James act,
therefore, English elections will be of the
most tame, insipid, spiritless and uninterest-
ing character. They viii be fat, stale and
Improbable, and life viii be hardly worth
the living to the free, Independent and incor-
ruptible British elector