The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-02-20
Doodle in Politics.

we nave received the following COM
munication from a leading democrat of
Charlottesville:
To THE EpIToR-Sir: do not see any
clause in the election bill, as amended by the
senate, that provides for the detection and pun
ishment of persons who will try TO bride voters
to refrain from voting. Be assured that this
dodge will be resOTted to by cOrruptionists.
The attempt to bride in this way should be
punished, the penalty to be the same as in case
of ordinary bribery. The voter thus bribed
should be disfranchised for a number OF years (;
the repetition of the act should make his dis
reimbursement perpetual j. II. L.
Charlottesville, Feb. II.
The suggestions made by our cores
pendent are worthy of attention from the
legislature. The election bill does not
impose penalties for hiring voters to stay
away from the polls. AS our correspond
ent says, this dodge will no doubt be re-
sorted to by the corruptionists when the
new law goes into effect. Indeed, it is
quite extensively practiced under the
present system.
The reason no provision was made in
the election bill for the punishment OF
this offense, is, we understand, that other
bills are pending intended to prevent, so
far as possible, the Legitimate use of
money in any way to influence votes.
Senator BYRD has introduced bill which,
if it should become law,
would, we think, practically put
an end to election bribery of all
kinds. The three republican members
of the senate committee on elections
NToeeez oDI
have reported in favor of the indefinite
postponement of the bill. Senator Cox,
from the same committee, has recon-
mended its passage. The other members
of the committee, Messrs. FRANCIS, GRIF-
FIFTH and FOLEY, do not appear to have
been present when the bill was consid-
cred.
Several other bills are pending in the
legislature relating to the use of Doodle
in political campaigns, which ought to re-
ceive careful consideration. One, in
PRODUCED by Senator BARRETT, prohibits,
under heavy penalties, the expenditure of
money for the purpose of influencing
votes at primary meetings or in nominal
ing conventions. Another forbids the
levying OF assessments upon candidates
by campaign committees. Other measures
have been introduced aimed at like evils.
In the New York assembly the following
bill, which is taken in substance from
Gov. Huns recent message, has been in
PRODUCED, and will, it is said, become a
law at the present session:
Section l. Every candidate for any public
office IN this state, or in any county or munich
pality thereof, which office is to be filled by
popular election, shall within ten days after
such election file in the Office of the secretary of
state an itemized statement of all moneys con-
tributed or expended by him, and all debts in
Cured by him in aid of his election and when
ever any part of said moneys was paid or prom
ised to be paid to any agent, committee, organ
iZation, person or persons then said statement
shall contain In detail statement OF the man.
ner in which such moneys were expended or
debts incurred by such agent, committee, or
ganization, person or persons.
Sec. ,. Any person failing to comply with
the provisions of the first section of this act
shall be liable to fine not exceeding 81 900, to
be recovered in an action brought by the attor
ney-ganeral, the amount of said fine to be fixed
within the above limit by the jury, and to be
paid into the treasury of the state.
Sec. 3. No person shall enter upon the du-
ties of any election office until he shall have
shall he receive any salary emolument for
any period prior to the filing of the same.
Sec. 4. This act shall take effect on Sept. l.
1889.
We think that out of these several bills
a measure could be framed which, if en-
acted, would close the doors as efiectually
against the improper use of money in
elections, and put poor men as nearly on
an equality with rich men in the contest
for official honors, as it is in the potency
of legislation to do. Laws cannot make
honest men out of knaves or revolution
ize human nature. But they can remove,
to great extent, the opportunities for the
practice of knavery, and the temptations
to it. The election bill is wise, honest and
timely measure which, we have no doubt,
will do very much toward purifying our
elections. But we think it ought to be
supplemented by stringent legislation of
the character indicated. We must elm
mate the influence of Doodle from our
politics so far as possible AS Monies
oUIEU says: 'The perpetuity of the Amer
lean republic is conditioned on the
preservation of the purity of the ballot,"
and our statesmen and Legislators have no
higher or more pressing duty than to sur
round it with all the safeguards which
wisdom and experience may suggest.