The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1888-11-09
THE HICKMAN COURIER.
HICKMAN, KY,
MONEY INs,ECTloxs.
L. I ssss sss 4 ,syx,' 10 Our


At this writing the result of the
Presidential election is not known,
and therefore what is here written
may be known TO be non.partisan.
This same issue will probably con-
tain the news as to whether the
CoURIER's choice has been re-
elected, or that Gen. Harrison has
been chosen his successor. BE
this as it may, it is none the less
known 10 be true that not merely
thousands bat millions of dollars
have been used 6y the machinery
of the political parties 10 influence
the result, or the result desired.
1t is no longer secret, but II
is openly proclaimed TO all man.
kind that the campaign commit
tees of all the political parties not
only use money, but that they use
immense sums of it in our cleo
tons. And it is but fair to say
that the Democrats, Republicans,
Prohibitionis;s, Laborites, and all,
use it in proportion to their
chances, aud only limited to the
amount they can command.
True enough, it is claimed that
no money is used except for le-
Ultimate campaign purposes, that
is in the printing and distributing
of campaign documents for the
information of the people upon
the leading issues, the necessary
expenses Of political speakers,
&c, and SO long as the use OF
money is confined TO sach pnrpo-
ses there can be no objection and
no injury to the people, but in all
fairness, are the reading people Of
the land not satisfied, irrespective
of party, that such vast sums are
not altogether used for such pur-
poses'
Pending the great excitement of
Presidential campaign the char.
ges are openly and boldly made
10y one party against the other that
vast sums of money are being used
to buy votes, to COLOMBO illegal
--zatAsa-ez4leyer other species Of
,a;nIr s - s9Trnp,aSn or t,s ifa asor
of the american people that the
greater part of such charges are
born of excitement and fear, bnt
circumstances all point to the
alarming realization that there is
real truth in much of it.
And should not this fact alarm
the peoplei
The result of such corrupt meth.
eds may be upon the side of your
choice this year, but next year the
same corruption may carry victory
against You.
Take for instance the States of
New York, New Jersey, Connec-
ticut and Indiana, and other States,
known 10 be close, and where the
contest was desperately fought,
and perhaps 90 per cent. of all the
votes cast were honestly polled
according 20 the honest choice of
the voters, and yet the 5 per cent
that fixes the majority and the
victory, were bought by the side
that used the most money.
In such instances is il not true
that money and not the uW Of The
le?pte, won the victory, and elected
the rulers of the country
The argument has already grown
common, and is readily in the
mouths OF party leaders, tia;
there are certain number Of yot.
ers in each State that are for sale,
and If one side does not furnish
the money to buy them the other
side will buy and vote them against
us. and by this mode Of reasoning.
men who know the wrong of such
acts. who know that such meth.
0ds are the sure precursors of the
ruin OF our republican form of
government, are induced to re.
cognize and practice such outra.
geous methods.
But then after admitting all this
to be true, where is the remedy 7.
1t is no use for Republicans to
say that the Democrats alone are
guilty OF such outrages, or for the
Democrats, or Prohibtlonists to
return such charges, because only
the partisans of either will be.
Heye, and the other side will DENY.
and there is no end of such talk.
If 1t was clearly known that only
one party res0rted TO such meth.
DDS, then the 80 per cent. of hon.
est American voters would bury
that party so deep in disgrace that
II would never know resurrection.
But, leaving all partyism aside,
and looking at the facts purely as
honest men, is there not good
grounds for honest people, every.
where. irrespective of party, TO
feel alarmed at the idea that the
D per cent. Of corrupt voters in
this country virtually destroy the
votes of the 95 per cent. of hon.
est citizens. IN other words, that
the . per cent. of purchasable
voters fix the maiorities and the
victories In the close States, and
thereby name the rulers of this
great and free countryi
But the COURIER asks again
what and where is the remedyi
IL would he wrong for a law to
say TO the members of n political
party that "you shall not print and
campaign documents
to inform the people up