The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-19

natural inclinations are Of an honest
tendency; therefore whatever he betrays,
az a legislator, the confidence Of his consti.
tuents, his conduct cannot be attributed
to any thing other than mercenary motives.
There are scores Of men in the States who
legislative halls as beggars and have
in afluence and wealth.
Seats in the United States Senate have
often been secured by resorting to the same
of corruption. Senators under
our system of Government are not elected
as they ought to be, by a direct vote OF the
citizens, but are chosen by the Legislators
of the various States. Investigations, in
many instances, have revealed the deplor-
able fact that members OF Legislatures have
been bribed to vote for certain Senators.
This scheme has been successfully practiced
in more than one of the Western and Pacific
States. This, to some extent, accounts for
the deterioration of the s~tatesmanlike
qualifications Of Senators. 1t is not so
much the question Of the ability OF the
aspirants for such honors, as it is as to the
length and volume of their purses. The
most notable instance of this character has
been brought more clearly before the peo-
pie by the revelations contained in the
Denver Daily News, OF d recent date, which
says, in referring to the election OF John P.
Jones in 1875 to succeed Mr.. Nye Ms Sena-
tor from Nevada, hat the most unblush-
ing frauds were perpetrated, and votes were
openly purchased to secure the selec-
49, ol+,.o 60 hlo t>
tine choice OF Mr.. Jones. The election
came off and the scenes incident thereto
were peculiarly interesting as well rs dis
gusting. The day preceding it the poll
ticians were ali on the qui vive; their
arrangements were all completed, with
nothing for the elector to do but go to the
polls and deposit his ballot. Election day,
far az regards weather. was all that
could be desired. All business was sus-
pended and an apathy shown surprising to
the managers OF Mr.. Jones. An investi-
cation developed the fact that the floating
vote had learned OF the existence of a sack,
and the party manipulators were endeav-
oring to share it among themselves. AS
soon as that was learned to be a fact, that
element determined to vote the Democr atic
ticket, and a heavy vote was cast for it.
Later, the Jones men found they were los
ing the day, opened the sack, and the most
e~xtravagant prices were paid forvotes, and
on the closing OF the polls, the result
was in doubt; but, equal to the
emergency, to make sure OF a certain
vote in the Eastern part of the State,
a row was created at the voting place in a
certain precinct at it's close which attracted
the attention of the officers OF election, and
which so divided them that the ballot box
a stuffed and the day carried. The zen
eral result was a victory for Jones. Nine
tenths OF the members elected were favor
able to his election. The expenses necessarily
incurred in the campaign aggregated $780,
900. The Legislature convened and John
P. Jones was elected without opposition.
Seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars
spent. For what? Either to pervert the
political sentiment of the majority, or to
crafty the vanity OF a mans aspirations
to a seat in the United States Senate. No
wonder that SO manyc onscientio us citizens
stay away from the polls on election day.
This shows conclusively that there is a
canker g%nawing it's way into the very vitals
OF our elective system. Will the people,
having a knowledge OF these facts, stand by
supinely and u]nconcernedly look upon our
much boosted system OF Government fall
beneath the weight OF it's OWN corruption?
If they value the blessings OF liberty they
should at once rise up in the majesty OF
their sovereignty and purge every vestigeo OF
corruption from the ballot box and legis-
latiye halls,