Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1886-11-20
/" DOODLE. /"


The present campaign has been
remarkable for many things; but for
nothing more than the boldness and
rapacity of the political ead.beats
and the o9enness with which votes
were battered like merchandise 70
the highest bidder. Corruption in
politics has grown and grown until
it has become great Upas tree.
poisoning the whole political air.
The freeman's ballot, the political
blrthright for which battles have
laid down their lives, is hawked
about at the'polls and auctioned off
TO the highest bidder. This fact
there is no intelligent citizen but
will concede. Now, what is the
remedy 1t can hardly be found in
the candidate. He does not feel
commissioned to play the role of a
missionary, to educate the sentiment
of the people up to higher plane of
political morality. He couldn't do
it if he would and probably he does
not feel that he can afford to do any.
thing of the kind. BY the accident
of success at the nominating conven.
tion he finds himself a candidate.
He has no time to educate the PEG.
pie, and if he attempted it his mo,
tive would be misunderstood. He
feels that he has to take them as
they are and make the best ont oft.
He finds himself in a position, the full
import which he had not before COM
pretended, perhaps, and he is natur
ally anxious to come out of it with
credit to himself. And so, out of the
very necessities, or fancied necesSi
ties of political competition, the
mercenary voter thrives. What has
been the spectacle presented in this
city and county for the past month";
The leading candidates on the re-
spective party tickets hunted-yeS
fairly hunted-from block to block
and from store to store, by q gang
Of political leeches from both city
and country, whose opportunities
would not be silenced, whose bold
ness and effrontery were something
marvellous, and whose demands
ranged all the way from ten centSto
two dollars. And they were not
satisfied with once. Every day they
were at it. Every day they made
the grand rounds and " beatn their
dime or quarter out of each candi
date land they were strictly non
partisan and impartial in distrbu.
ting their attentions). 1t was not
only the buns and leeches of the city
the buns and leeches of the coun.
try were worse, if possible.
We know we speak the sentiments
of the respectable portion of the
community when we say that we are
heartily sick of this thing of " boo.
die campaigns" No man can en-.
gage deeply in this miserable bust.
ness without feeling in his own heart
that he has polluted himself, and feel
like forswearing politics forever.
The corruption of the ballot box IS
growing evil-the purchase and sale
of votes a foul cancer that is eating
out the very heart of our Govern.
ment and corrupting the fountain.
head, the source of all power-the
people. Other countries have al
ready reached the same miserable
level. But the evil is rapidly aug.
menting; and something must be
done to purify the ballot and the
morals of those who cast it, and
stamp out this inquiry which is
winked at and condoned by people
who in the other relations of life are
honorable and respectable.
Now the question is, What are
you going to do about itfn And it
is a question which good citizens
ought to take seriously to heart
Here is the mercenary, unprincipled
element in our midst in the market
to sell their votes, almost openly
What are you going TO do about it
1t you leave it to each individual
candidate to fight the battle for him
self, the pressure will be too great
and poor human nature too weak
he will succumb. And so the evil
goes on increasing year by year, and
each successive election is more fla.
gravity corrupt than its predeces'
sor. Where is the thing to end
Will it fall of it's own weight, when
the burden becomes so great that
man has got to pay more to buy his
way into an Office than he can get
out of it9 It has pretty nearly
reached that point now. bnt there IS
no sign of stoppage or abatement
State journal.
The majority in the next Legish!'
ture is still in doubt, but it is moral.
~ certain that Camden cannot be
| aloofod IN tba IT q Canofa aveu II