Morning journal and courier., 1890-12-23
BALLOT REFORM.
Legislation Concerning Corrupt and
s-f Illegal Election Practices

Legislation Concerning Corrupt and |
s-5 Illegal Election Practices.
From the New Englander for Decemberl
Mr.. John Fiske, the accomplished histo-
rian, in his recent work upon Civil Gov
ernment in the United States, which was
published last September, devetes a few
paragraphs to the Secret Ballot Law of
Massachusetts,, and states that ''it is unfa
favorable to bribery, because unless the
briber can follow his man to the polls and
see how he votes, he cannot be sure that
his bribe is effective" Mr.. Fiske then
adds: ''To make the precautions against
bribery complete it will doubtless be neces-
sary to add to the secret ballot the English
system of accounting for election expen-
ses. All the funds used in an election
must past through the hands of small
local committee, vouchers must be re-
ceived for every penny that is expended,
and after the election an itemized account
must be made out, and its accuracy tested
under oath before notary public. This
system of accounting has put an end to
| bribery in England"
the May number, 1890, of this magazine,
said: English authorities state that the
corruption of voters in parliamentary
elections in England is not prevented by
the Australian bollot system so much as
by the stringent provisions of the corrupt
practices act 1t will be found in this
| country that neither the Australian sys-
| tenn, nor the Connecticut system alone,
| will prevent corruption unless these acts
are supplemented by statutes based upon
the principles of the English corrupt prac-
| tees act"
Since the publication of that article the
writer has had an opportunity of convers-
| ing with several English and Scotch gen.
tlenien concerning the election laws of the
United Kingdom, and he has been
strengthened in the opinion that bribery
has been cut off in Great Britain by the
corrupt practices acts rather than by the
secret ballot system.
Last August a gentleman who has lived
for thirty years in Melbourne, Australia,
stated that the Australian ballot act,n So
called, was passed to prevent intimidation
rather than bribery, and that in his judg-
ment corrupt practices acts" of the most
stringent nature are necessary to prevent
bribery.
Hon. Robert T. Lincoln informed the
writer in July that his observation and in
formation in England led him to the same
conclusion. Statements published in some
of the newspapers, since the election of
November 4th, indicate that in New York,
Massachusetts, and Connecticut the secret
ballot laws of those states have not pre-
vented bribery in some places where there
were voters who were ready to sell their
votes and men who were able and willing
to purchase them. It will be found i'm
practicable to prevent such a coIlusion,
which was doubtless practiced in Mont
gomery county, in New York, where the
bribed voter gave notice to the person who
had purchased his vote that he had voted
as agreed, by voting also on the same tick
ct for some individual for minor Office
the name having been agreed upon be
tween the briber and the bribed. TIL,
corrupt practices act" so-called, passed
by the last assembly at Albany, is no
thorough or effective. 1t should specif,
and limit the legal expenses of an election
In the light of the foregoing facts ant
opinions an article upon English legisla
ton on this subject may be timely
} The first serious attempt to prevent cor
rupt election practices in England was II
1854. The act was entitled 1.-THE Corrup
Practices Prevention Act" Under its pro
} visions bribery was defined, certain pett,
|
, expenses of a certain character were mad
public by proper returns. This act wa
supplemented by few of the provision
l of the parliamentary elections act of 1855
8 by the secret ballot act of 1872, and by tn
corrupt practices act of 1879.
The English ballot act of 1872 contain
. substantially all the provisions of th
t Massachusetts, act of 1889. All of thi
/ legislation, however, had not effectuall
: stopped the corrupt use of money in Eng
lish elections, and in August, 1888, parlii
ment adopted the present efficient bill I
prevent corrupt and illegal practices.
}. and forty seventh Vict Under its prov
n sions each candidate must, within a cei
" tain time before the election, name b
q election agent, and with the exception of
!, limited allowance for the personal expeI
ses of the candidate, all expenditures
p connection with the election must be mad
d through the election agent of the cand
q date. The names of the agents must b
declared in writing to the returning ele'
o ton officer, and that officer must give pul
10 lie notice of their names and addresses
q Only one election agent can be appointe
! for each candidate, but sub-sgents may
appointed for election precincts whel
there are more than one.
q ALI clerks and messengers employed Q
/ behalf of the candidate at any electio
:, must be appointed by the election agen
y and he must hire every committee-roo
used on behalf of the candidate. All col
. tracts in relation to expenses must be mad
:. by him. No advances or deposits of mo-
D. ey can be made by any candidate, nor l
is any person in his behalf, or In behalf
4 his party, at any time before, during
= after an election, except through the du
70 appointed election agent. All claims al
p bills connected with an election must
u presented and paid within twenty-eig
" days after the election; and within thirt
five days after the election the agent mu
Oh make a true return according to. sehcdu
40 provided in the law, giving statement