The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-11-15
BALLOT CORRUPTION LEADS TO
REVOLUTION.

From the primaries to and including
even our elections for the highest officer
in the American Republic, the corrup-
ton of our ballot is general and start
ling, and not the exception. This in
the face Of the fact that every dishon-
est vote cast under our system of gov
eminent is a step toward revolution.
an assault upon the very bulwark OF
our liberties, a forging of the chains OF
political slavery, and a sad requiem
over the future grave of CONNER
cial and political liberties. NoCnlnS
else that we have, honor, possess OF
inherit. has cost mankind so mucH
blood SO MANY widows and orpnahs'
SO much of national debt and waste, 50
MANY heartaches and woes, as IhaC
free and unrestricted ballot; ana YET
TO dav. and for years past, that same
nreciOIIs heritage of the freeman, InaU
VitaIizing quality and life blood OF a
repubIic, is sold at the polls IKE pigs
in the market, at so much per mead;
Some of our good people WOnder why
supervisors, legislators, congressman
and Senators exhibit such mdl1Ierence
aft and cast such m~onstrously corrupt
Uotes against the peoples interest.
The solution of the mystery Is easy
and simple. The men who resort to
such corrupt methods in their official
Dositions, secured those positions by
corruption, bribery and debauchery of
the ballot; and the man who will buy
a vote, directly or indirectly, Of an
other. will sell his own vote to the
highest bidder. Every observing per
son has seen this eXemplified too often
to admit of any doubt on the point.
AS q result of this deplorable state of
things, the man with the biggest sack,
the mouth Of which he is willing and
anxious to open wide as a barn door.
is the one who now goes into office. In
other woods, men are no longer elected
to Offce-the office must be bought;
the people no longer bestow what were
public gifts, because public office has
become a matter of merchandise, a
thing. a chattel; and what a man buys,
pays for and gets delivery of, he owns,
and he therefore reasons that he is at
liberty to do with it as he pleases. The
corruption Of the ballot has vitiated
and polluted every department of our
political system, from the president to
the pound master, has looted our treas
urieS, increased our taxes. created pO
litical b sses and boodla rings and
threatens our political existence.
What is the remedy? Enact and en-
force such drastic laws that those who
would sell their votes can find no
buyers.
In other words, let the next legisla-
ture pass a law that would make each
set of candidates and their friends de-
tectives on every other SCI and their
friends, in this way: Let the law pro
vide that every nominating convention
$1,000 Lo-o n -,,o1SG1l ro%oV- zy1h1in ~,
a part of it's legal organization compel
every candidate, when his name is
placed before such convention, to go
forward before that convention, hold
up his hand and make affidavit in the
hearing of all present that he has not,
directly or Indirectly, used Or allowed
to be used, any money, influence or
allE other thing, or made any promises
except such as are in harmony with
good government, to secure his nOmi
nation; and that he has not, and will
not, do any of the above mentioned
things in the canvass, should he secure
the nomination. Then make the con
victi Il for any of the above named
o~ffenses constitute a Acknowledgement
OF the offender, and where only two
tickets are in the field, let such convic-
ton AMI Acknowledgement elect that
particular candidates OppOne Mt to the
Office they were striving for. Where
more than two tickets are IN the field;
and a candidate is so C nvicted before
election, let the Office for which he is
running remain q blank On his own
party ticket.
1t might be said that the penalty is
too severe for the offense. When we
consider that no plot of treason can
harm a republic more, or as much as \
corrupted and debauched ballot, I
don't believe any objection will be
offered to the penalty. Certain it is
that revolution and anarchy will
swiftly follow on the heels of present
suicidal methods. Which shall it be
pure, honest ballot, under which only
the guilty would suffer, or a bleeding
bayonet, the inevitable outcome of our
present methods, under which all per
sonal and vested rights will be ignored,
trampled under foot and cast to the
winds?