Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-12-21
Election Corruption.


b the evidence Of kindly thoughts.
Election Corruption.
The evidence that is being taken In In.
diana, to show the corruption that pre-.
vailed there in the election, bids fair to
prove 1t very clearly and the result may
+ b that some one will 60 to Jail but
whether there will be any permanent
eject from these prosecutions, even If
soccessful, In the way Of purifying cleo
ti0ns may well be doubted. A vigorous
Mort everywhere to execute the law,
would no doubt be effective, but the DIFF.
0culty is In getting such vigorous
enort everywhere. A sporadic and
oonvulsive undertaking to punish
election frauds will be OF little
nyAil. There must be q persistent and
9eneral assault upon the crime by the
NV, to give 1t quietus, and this we will
only get when o universal public Opin.
1on demands 1t; and condemns every
B prosecutor OF crime who falls to
energetically and faithfully perform
his duty. There is hardly such
. condition OF opinion yet. Tco
many people are content with declama.
ton against election frauds, and really
look upon them leniently, or even prac-
olce them. They are the Pharisees whom
Judge Gresham has hung up before the
Public, and all their connections. They
~ fervently that it Is very bad to buy
votes and to corrupt electors; but satisfy
their conscienees In doing it themselves
~ saying that everybody does it. The
Republicans say, "if we did that 80 did the
Democrats; only we did it successfully"
And there is enough truth in the state.
ment to enable the pious Republican to
rest easy under the election of his presl.
dent, though he knows it was won ty
corrupt means.
We are not disposed to doubt that votes
were bought by Democratic az we'll as
Republican committees in the late cleo
Hon; though there Is no doubt that the
greatest purchases were made on the
Republican side, where was the greatest
amount OF money. The undertaking
20 buy the election on that side was
aelihEsately conceived and energetically
and successfully carried out. Its success
has met with national applause. The
contriver of it is political hero, and is |
credited with being the chief in power in
his party. And this, when no intelligent
perD0n disputes the fact that he won by
- lswless use Of the power Of money;
md the man who raised 1t for him is
psesented as the most worthy Republican
n his state for high reward.
We should like to know, how, under
thls condition OF public sentiment, there
esn be any fair expectation that vote
buyers will be soon condemned to the
peuitentiary that the law provides for
hem. The law says ''go to JAIL" the pub.
y ssy 'go into the cabinet" Such /, the
narrow distance between Jail aud,cabinet;
between infamy and fame.
1t Is brought down to a matter of
and proof. II the prosecutor
wns earnest, and his proof was ready, the
poiucian would go to Jail as neither
!roeecutor nor proof rises up against him,
p goes into public Office. How
nAny officials are there who are
nnstained with the offense of cor
tuptiDg voters, or II working at and con.
lributing to such corruptions we have a
~ which fOrbids the contributing of
money for the corruption Of voters and
ymeh prescrlbes the purposes for
mich money may bs expended. 1t |
, . dead letter. The candidate
= compelled TO subscribe by his
perty blindly. The working politi.
.lans use it for what they conceive to be
- best advantage and they are as
tain TO buy votes as the spark Is to fly
wards. IL Is crying evil every
admits; and the great majority
anen tumble over each other In their
oes 20 90 the evil and to get the money
- 20 It with. 1t has come to bs a rsco..
n1sed agency for effective political worr.
- hss never had greater boost than
= gwen 1t In this election In the political
)eoxogative and widespread fsms oy
10 Republican leaders who won by II.
reaos. There Is poor encouragement 10
soaisve that the day Of the death of the
nenv power In elections draws nigh;
~ the sending to jail OF few conyicts
y Indiana will hardly hasten II.
~ . Democratic district attorney
- should dare to resign rather
- prosecute Dudley shows well
- the sentiment is; that partje,
- people are alike guilty and the fell
- shat are caught and punished are
N unlucky. As long rs bribable men
there will be bribers, and to purify
eAons We will need to begin a. the
-, disfranchise the "a floater " and
~ % the erieaoie material. u