The record-union., 1891-11-11
VENALITY AMONG NEW YORK
VOTERS.

VOTERS.
with emphasis and makes the statement
that it has absolute knowledge of the fact
that the Republican campaign in New
York was conducted practically without
money for use on election day, but that
the Democracy had money in plenty and
used it. The Journal adds that the small
ness Of the Republican vote, there being a
falling off Of 20 per cent, is in large part
TO be accounted for by the fact that
there are thousands of men in the rural
districts in this State who, although they
are Republicans and always voted the
Republican ticket, will not hitch up
and leave the cider mills or the pig kill
ings at this period of the year and go to
the polls to vote unless they are paid for
what they call their days work, g or
more. for their pains. . Neither
party can carry New York State without
money, provided the other side spends it.
This serious condition cannot be over
come until radical amendments are made
TO our election laws and public sentiment
Is active in seeing that these laws are
enforced"
Here we have from a journal of good
repute and excellent standing for accu-
racy, two very humiliating and damag-
ing statements: First, that elections in
New York can easily be carried either
way by vote-buying, the venal element
being so large as to assure victory to the
party with the longest purse and the least
sensitive conscience. Second, that there
is considerable element of the rural
population, who would probably be
furiously indignant if they were pro-
nounced dishonest men and avowed
criminals, who do not hold their coun-
try's good in sufficient esteem to exercise
the sovereign right of freemen, unless
they are paid for their ''time."
Assuming the Journal to be correct in
its charges, to what low moral level has
the political condition Of the State of New
York sunk, and is it probable that there
can be by law any reform effected? Of
course it is the right Of voter to remain
away from the polls, and by the exercise
of 1t he is assumed to consent to the YER
dict in advance of its announcement.
But when his absence is due to refusal to
BUY his presence, he is not one whit bet
ter than the rascal who sells his vote re-
gardless of its effect. There is. in short.
no distinction to be drawn between the
Ioaters, vagrants and repeaters who bid
for State Prison by bartering their bal
lots and the more pretentious man,
though tiller of the soil, who claims to
be honest but refuses to leave his labor in
order to cast his vote for the cause in
which he believes unless he is "paid for
his time"
The Journal thinks that there will be
no mending of the voting conscience un-
I'll there is radical reform in New York,s
election laws. There is in this suggestion
very little hope. Moral sensibility is not
quickened in any man by an Act of the
Legislature. 1t has been said by some
one that we may be driven to the method
of certain ancient city, where voters
were mustered and compelled to march
to the polls, and that laggards and those
seeking to evade the duty were appre-
hended and lashed to the place of the
ballot between double lines of their fell
low-citizens armed with whips.
We have no faith in the permanency
and safety of any Government in these
days under which the citizen is coerced to
duty by pains and penalties ofthe body. 1t
might answer to make the exercise of the
voting privilege stimulating by reward,
such as distinguishing honors, enjoyment
of certain special privileges, etc. But
whether even such legislation would give
us better results, except in the increased
volume of the vote, is to be doubted.
All the law can do is to guard well the
right of the willing voter, to conserve the
secresy of his ballot, to assure him the
free and untrammeled exercise of his
privilege, and to encourage the lover of
his country to stand by its institutions.
1t can punish the venal, and interpose
between them and their vicious ends bar
riers which can be surmounted only at
great peril If the Journal can point out,
however, any means of law by which the
pig-stiekers and cider-pressers can be
made sensible of their duty and the in
fanny of their moral debasement. it will
confer patriotic favor.