The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-03-08
Mr.. LOoNEY ON THE BRIBERY BILL.
A Tilt Between the Portland Member
and Governor RobIe.
Messrs. Talbot and Chadbourne
Take a Hand In the Discussion.
The Sill Passed After One of the
Exciting Debates Of the Session.
Especial TO the Press.l

| AUGUSTA, March THE bribery bill,
which makes the penalty ten years of dis
franchisement for the man who sells his vote
and (which must be credited to the joint la
| bors OF Governor Robbie and the judiciary
committee, through one of its members, the
Hon. John c. Talbot, came up in the House
| this forenoon.
| Mr.. Looney of Portland has been sharpen
ing his hatchet for this bill ever since both
Governor Robie and Mr.. Talbot went against
the Australian ballot bill Beginning his
speech, Mr.. Looney said that the distin-
guished gentleman from Gorham, in his very
| able speech against the Australian bill, had
stated that there was no bribery in the town
of Gorham, and that the Australian bill was
an insult to the honest people. Mr.. Looney
thought the goodness of the people of the
town of Gorham was most delightful to con-
template; and his only wonder was that the
people of Gorham were not translated bodi-
ly and at once to paradise. [Laughterl
Mr.. Robie They will get there. laugh
teri.
Mr.. Looney-The gentleman from Gorham
had said that there was no bribery In that
| town. He had said that the suffrage there
was pure. He had said that the manhood of
the State of Maine was able to put down
bribery.
The Speaker-The gentleman from Port
land is out of order. 1t is not in order to
criticse former speech upon another sub
| ject.
Mr.. Looney-I think the Chair will see the
point Of my remarks If he will hold his pa
tience for few moments. [Laughterl.
The Speaker-It is contrary to parlamen-
tary law to criticise the speech of member
made in former debate.
Mr.. Looney-It being unparliamentary to
speak of the speech of my friend from Co.,
ham, will refer to his vote on the Australi-
an ballot bill laughter After the re-
markable speech in which my distinguished
friend from Gorham declared against the
Australian ballot bill, imagine my surprise
when he introduced a bill which he termed
"bill to prevent bribery" In his speech
against the secret ballot bill he
practically stated that no bribery
existed in Maine, and for that
reason the Australian ballot bill should not
become law. But it appears new change
came over the spirit of his dream.
But must confess that his conversion is
not more manifest when his relative posi-
tions ON the Australian ballot bill and his
own bill are considered, than when the po-
sitlon he now occupies is compared with his
position four years ago.
In his message to the legislature January
4, 1883, message enriched by the chaste
rhetoric important .public recommenda-
tions. and statistical information which
characterized all Of his State papers found
the following PASSAGE:
II would call the attention of the legisla-
ture to the alarming evils which result from
the large expenditure of money in our ma
tlonal, State and, not unfrequently.. in our
municipal elections. The shameful
elections are not confined to single State or
to one party. 1t may become SO general.
unless speedily checked. that the elections
will no longer be the expressions of free
public sentiment, but simply the recorded
result of the highest bribe for the voter.
England and many of the States of this Un-
ion have taken advanced action on this sub
ject and recommend that our election laws
be carefully considered by an appropriate
committee of the legislature for the purpose,
if practicable. of more effectually preventing
intimidation, bribery and corruption in our
elections, when and where they may exist"
This message was was delivered upon an
important and solemn public occasion. Each
part of the message like this passage con-
eerning bribery was of course care
fully and maturley considered. Has my dis
tinguished friend forgotten that he substan-
tally commended the English system of
secret ballot, and admitted that bribery and
corruption existed to an alarming extent?
Has the public undergone change of heart,
as remarkable as his own upon this sub
ject?
feel certain, however, that he will again
return to his former opinions, he will again
believe in secret ballot. When that time
comes, assure him none will more gladly
enlist and fight under his banner of ballot
reform than |.
But the evolutions Of my friend from Cor
ham are not less phenomenal upon this
question than those Of the distinguished
gentleman from East Machias In a letter
TO the Lewiston Journal before the opening
of the session he committed himself square.
ly to a secret ballot Did he know what he
was then writing about? Was he in earnest?
bill?
Does the gentleman seriously think this
bill which he has introduced will prevent
bribery? The law now provides that a per-
son convicted Of bribery shall be punished
| by fine not exceeding five hundred dollars,
| by Imprisonment Of not more than one year,
and be disqualified from holding Office for
| ten years.
Has this drastic law prevented bribery in
Maine? Has it ever diminished 1t to a
sllBnJ eXtentE has tnere ever been con-
| viction under it? Can it then be reasonably
expected that the law which he now pro-
poses will meet the desired end?
Why have penalties like these always been
dead letters? Because the corrupt bargain
and contract is between two persons, be-
cause in order to convict one must inform
against the other. Mankind has always
branded the mercenary informer with the
mark lof cain. No jury would convict upon
his evidence when it is considered that the
presumptions Of law are in favor of the ac-
cnsed. You may re-enact the bloody laws
| of pracO, you may pile penalties as high as
Olympus and yet unless you provide for
secret ballot you cannot reach the evil. A
| secret ballot has always killed bribery be-
| cause it destroys the confidence between the
| briber and bribee, and because under it the
| briber can have no assurance that the goods
| are delivered. For these reasons q secret
ballot has killed bribery wherever it has
been tried. Ii then, the distinguished gentle-
men from Gorham and East Machias are as
| l know they must be in favor of killing
| bribery, why do they not support bill for a
secret ballot? All laws like this now under
consideration will prove abortive They
never can kill bribery They will only film
| over ulcerous places while rank corruption
running all within, infects unseen"
Mr.. Looney's speech in parts was greeted
| annlaudad "