Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-15
HOVEY'S WARM TALK.
Indiana'S New Governor Strikes
Straight From the Shoulder.
RADICAL REMEDIES PROPOSED
For Increasing Corruption in Elections and
Conventions.
BOTH PARTIES GUILTY OF BRIBERY
The assessment of Candidates Should be Made q
Criminal 0fense


o'clock large crowds congregated about
English's Opera House to witness the in
auguration of Governor Hovey. The men,
bers of House and Senate marched into the
theater escorted by the band. On the stage
were several hundred distinguished citizens.
Just previous to the entrance of the Legis-
lature General Harrison, accompanied by
Judge E. B. Martindale and Mr.. Mckee,
| quietly entered the lower right hand box.
His presence was instantly discovered and
a ripple of applause passed over the house.
The entrance of Governor-elect Hovey on
the arm of Governor Gray was the signal for
prolonged outburst. Hon. Mason j. Nib
| lack, Speaker of the House, called the
assembly to order. Rev. DR.. Mcleod, of
the Second Presbyterian Church, opened the
exercises with fervent prayer. The Hon.
Byron K. Elliott, Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court, then stepped forward and
administered the oath of Office to General
Hovey, at the conclusion of which Speaker
Niblack introduced the new Governor, and
the great audience rendered him an ovation,
General Harrison being one of the most
vigorous applauders
HOvEY'S HOT SHOT.
Governor Hovey, in his inaugural, dwelt
at some length upon the purity, or impurity,
of the ballot box. Upon this subject he said:
In the late election charges of fraud and cor
ruption have been freely made by the contend
ing parties, and while we are not authorized to
sit in judgment as to the particular acts or
cases, we cannot shut our eyes to the facts.
There is reason to believe that the ballot has
been polluted. not only in this State, but in
many of the other States and by both political
parties, until in the eyes of many respectable
men it seems to be no longer regarded as
crime. This cannot continue and increase il
we hope to perpetuate our free institutions.
If it does a moneyed aristocracy will soon
control the destinies of our nation, and that
liberty which we now SO highly prize will
be lost to us forever. The demagogue, who
would buy the vote of his poor and needy
victim, and will only wait his chance to sell the
liberties of his country for higher price. As
a rule, he who buys vote will sell his own.
the evils which now exist would recommend
that our election laws be revised in order to
prevent far as possible all frauds and bribery.
l would call your attention particularly to the
consideration of the necessity of legislation in
regard to several matters not embraced in our
election laws:
First-It is the duty of the General Assembly
under the ninety-fifth section of our Constitu-
tion to provide for the registration of all
persons entitled to vote. This amendment has
been in force since March H. 1881, but no law
has vet been enacted and the Constitution has
been disregarded. l recommend that provision
be made for full and fair registration of all
legal voters, when the rights of each elector
can be investigated before the day of election.
ANY person who shall hire or prevent any
elector from being duly registered should be
subjected to fine and imprisonment.
Second-Limit the number of electors to
each election precinct so as not to exceed 800
voters.
Third-Provide that every precinct shall be
surrounded or protected by some kind of bar
riers or guard rails which will prevent all per-
sons, except the person voting, from approach
ing nearer than 40 or 90 feet from the Judges
and inspectors and clerks of the election, and
make the infraction of this rule misdemeanor
punishable by fine.
A RADICAL REMEDY.
Fourth-Provide that the buying or Offering
to buy the vote of any elector, directly or in
directly, or by any subterfuge or evasion OF
pretense or by hiring any person to work for
the election of any candidate at the polls. shall
be criminal, with penalty of disfranchisement
for life to the briber and the bribed, and, for
second offense, after conviction. let the penalty
be not less than two years IN the State prison.
Men who will thus pollute, corrupt the ballot
are not worthy of exercising the elective fran
chise, and should never be trusted suggest
that it might be policy to exempt witnesses |
from punishment in bribery cases where they |
may be implicated. 1t will be almost impossi- |
BILE to convict the guilty briber without such |
exemption.
Fifth-MaEe it unlawful and criminal for |
any political convention committee to de- |
mand, exact or receive any assessment or con- |
tribution from any candidate for Office, and |
provide the penalty of disfranchisement for |
life to the member or members of such con- |
vention or committee who may demand or at |
tempt to enforce such assessment or contribu- |
tion. No office should be placed beyond the |
reach of the poorest man in the State.
Sixth-Make it unlawful, with heavy fine |
and imprisonment, for any person to challenge |
legal voter at the polls. Let the challenger |
beware, and as he imputes an attempted crime |
against the elector who offers to VOTE let him, |
before he makes the challenge, be assured that |
he himself is not the criminal. Many legal |
voters have been driven from the polls by un- |
iustifable and illegal challenges. The chal- |
lenge at the polls is one of the most successful |
devices of the bully and bulldozer, and should |
be prohibited under penalty
Governor Hovey also advocated a local |
option law for the sale or prohibition of |
ardent spirits, as the people may choose, in
eacn county, city or incorporated town. He |
recommends severe penalties for the adul-
teration of articles of food, and urges that |
the common schools be provided with free |
text books, bought by the State or school
districts, and loaned to the pupils.