Eureka weekly sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1887-1902, 1890-11-22
THE PURCHASE or VOTES IN
NEVADA.

TIE PURCHASE OF VOTES IN
NEVADA.
A competent authority estimates that
there we're eighteen hundred votes pur.
chased In Nevada al the recent election.
The Republicans purchased sixteen hun
dred and the Democrats two hundred.
There was no man chosen 70 Office on the
State ticket. except perhaps Fitzgerald,
Who does not owe bis position directly 70
the corruption sack. II is q shameless
proceeding and one that is growing year
BY year in Nevada. The selling Of votes
is largely confined 10 the foreign element.
II is only On occasional American who
sells. With rare exceptions the Irish also
are q elf-respecting people. But there
are other nationalities, q great majority OF
whom sell their votes to the highest and
best bidder for cash at every election. The
| highest idea these creatures have Of Amer.
| lean citizenship is the price that their votes
| will command in the market on election
| day. And the decent element Is growing
| scarcer in this State, and the corrupt ele-
ment more numerous right along. There
are ten sell-ouss to-day where there was
one Eve or six years ago. In the late cleo
.ion approximately one-sixsh OF the whole
| vote of the State was purchased. This
year was a normal year. Perhaps on an
| abnormal occasion ope-fourth Of the votes
OF the State can be influenced by money.
| And still we are told that Nevada lie not q
" Rotten Borough" II is rotten to the
| core and does not deserve any other appel
lation. We are sorry that IL is SO; but q
| proper regard for the truth compels these
admissions. II the State lie made 10 suffer
bys relation Of the truth, IL ough to suffer.
There are good and true men, the best In
the world, in both parties in Nevada, but
the corruptionists hold the balance Of
| power and absolutely determine all OF our
elections. There has not been q free and
fair election In Nevada in fifteen years.
| Both money and coercion by the corpora
| tions are used. The whole business lie a
mockery Of free government and the cleo
tive system. II ia dsmnable in the highest
degree. There can be no good, we'll mean
ing citizen who does not wish for the
burying out Of sight OF the whole disrepu-
table practice. Inasmuch 90 we have not
much else in Nevada, we ought OF least TO
have decenoy in our public Affairs. II seems
that we are to have 9 new Constitution,
which will inaugurate certain reforms.
Let reform In our electoral system be one
| OF the first considerations. We ought to
| have the Australian ballot system in its
| most rigid form. A milk and water mod
iication OF that system will not do at sll.
Let us cut deep and go TO the bottom Of
evils. Honest men will not object and
| thieves should not be considered in the
matter. An even thing and . fair thing is
all That honorable men Of both parties can
ask for or expect. They will not be salts
fed with less. And above all let the new
Constitution provide that no foreigner can
vote until his naturalization papers are
six months old. This will obliterate the
practice Of political committees rushing In
the undesirable element for naturalization
on the eve OF N election, and generally at
The expense OF candidates. If American
citizenship is not sufficiently priced for
the alien seeking II to pay his W money
for the blessing, he is unworthy to enjoy
its inestimable privileges. An elective
judiciary never refuses any applicant. An
elective judiciary is always too cowardly
to offend. Men will swear that they are
attached to our constitution and system Of
government, who know nothing about
either, and cannot read or speak q word Of
our language. Owlish. but weak Judges,
who are generally looking ahead to the
main chance, will admit them TO citizen
ship. thus adding in a vast number Of
cases more purchssable material to the
general stock. We have no idea Of reform.
ing the world, but we may at least with
pertinence point out evils known 10 all
men.