The sun., 1890-08-19

pended In August will accomplish moro than
- In October"
This announcement is definite, but it is
not reassurine, for the thoughtful elector
would hesitate some time before agreeing to
part with 4S day for some use 70 him
wholly oonjoctural, and his reluctance would,
Of course, be greatest ia August, seeing that
IN that month. according to Mr. TRAIL, 1t
would bring about moro changes than % In
October. most Irritating and inexcusable
omission from the Victoria Hotel Annex
circular is the failure to extend the TEAhb
financial scale up to November. That is the
month In which the election 10 held, and the
month in which, according to all experience,
the largest sums Of money are expended for
political purposes. II 81 in August will
accomplish moro than $S in October,
how many dollars In the same ratio,
we may well ask, will be needed to ac-
complish anything In November 1t 10 the
fatal weakness Of all municipal reformers
that they do all their fighting, use all their
ammunition, and gain all their victories In
the months OF August and September.
When, however, the bleak winds OF Novem-
ber are heard and the real battle commences,
the reformers are seen to be not In 1t. No
mail can reach them. They are helplessly
scattered along the strand.
An ominous circumstance about the Or
cular OF the Peoples Municipal Clerical Be
form League Is that 1t 10 utilizing some OF
the yellow tissue paper pads left over from
the Australian ballot crusade, which failed
ignominiously last week. Mr.. WHEELER Il.
PEcKHAM was the President Of that "re-
form" he Is the Chairman Of this The In
vlncible TRAh1 was Chairman Of the Enroll
ment Committee Of the Australians; he
holds the same post with the three-dollar-a-
day envelope politicians. A. j. STEERS was
the Secretary OF that committee. He is
again OF his old post In the new movement.
Altogether there is very little change. The
same names appear on both pads, and there
Is about as little suggestion Of success In
one case as In the other.
1t is not, OF course, o pleasant condition
which confronts US. but examining with the
eye Of care the circular which the amateur
reformers have been distributing, We are
perplexed by the suggestion that Mr..
TrAn1's appeal contravenes what Is known
as the amended section 8 Of tho Penal
Code OF the state relating to crimes against
the elective franchise, and which became
law on the Ath Of April list. Section Al OF
this law provides that 1t shall be unlawful
for any person, directly or indirectly, by
himself or through any other person."
ITO make any gift loan promise, offer. procurement
or agreement as Aforesaid, TO- for with perSon
In order to induce such peTsoa or endsavor
70 procure the election OF person or the vote Of
any voter at any election.
ITO procure or engage promise or endeavor to pro-
h1lRti iaan MI
80, procurement or aGreement the election OF any
person the vots OF any voter At such election
TO advance or pay to be paid any money or
other valuable thing TO or for the use OF any other
person with the intent that the same or any part
thereof shall be used bribery any election, or to
knowingly pay or cause TO paid any money other
valuable thing to any person in or repay ment
Of any money. wholly or In part expended in bribery
at any election"
The employment OF q substitute at $S .
day to perform political services vaguely
described as being in the interest OF league
OF persons intending to run candidates for
various offices this year, may be Guileless
and even praiseworthy, but 1t is it would
seem, directly contrary to the requirements
OF the Corrupt Practices act.
Let Mr.. TEALI, while time remains. aban-
don that feature Of his canvass. AS no man
can lawfully vote for another. neither should
any man be asked to work" in the political
arena for another, even for 50 day. Let it
never in the future be said that those who
attempted to disfranchise their fellow citl-
zens, and failed in the effort, lent afterward
thecountenance OF their lengthy names to an
attempt to debauch the electorate at So q
day per head!
Undoubtedly the substitute" feature OF the
reformers' plan of campaign Is open to grave
objections and Mr.. TEALL and his friends
should be slow about favoring 1t and thus
subjecting even their circulars to reproach
which the lynx-eyed WINS could have fore
seen when looking over his left shoulder.