The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-02-19
ELECTIONS.
To the Editor Of tha Eac,e.

! tention of our best statesmen. President
Harrison in his last message to congress-
says: Nothing just now is more impor
tant than to provide every guaranty for
the absolutely fair and free choice by an
equal suffrage within the respective
states Of all the officers of the national
government, whether that suffrage Is
applied directly, as in the choice of mem
bers of the house of representatives, oil
indirectly as in the choice of senators
and electors of president. Respect fol
public affairs and obedience to law will
not cease to be the characteristics of ouI
| people until our elections cease to declare
the will of majorities fairly ascertained
without fraud, suppression, or gerry
mander. If l were called upon to de,
clare wherein our chief national danger
lies should say without hesitation: In
the overthrow of majority control by the
suppression or perversion of the popular
suffrage.
Hon. Geo. F. Edmunds, in an able and
exhaustive article in the Forum, emit
| tied, ''Perils of Our National Elections,
saws: "That we are drifting in the cur
rents of party and greedy personal temp
| tation, in respect Of the selection of pub
lie officers and the administration OF
public affairs, is becoming quite too ap-
parent
The passage in many states of election
laws with severe penalties attached for
parties found guilty of fraud Of any
character at elections; our registration
law; the Australian ballot system Of vot-
ing adopted by quite number of states
l say, the passage in recent years of laws
of the above character, attest the fact
that our elections are gradually becom-
ing corrupt and more corrupt each year.
What the result of such course will be
in score of years, l am 10th to predict.
But trust by timely and friendly dis
cussion of these wrongs-which have
imperceptibly grown up in each state,
county and city in our government-the
patriotism of men of all parties, who,
uniting as we have done in 'days of
yore," in times of peril and disaster,
in an effort for the purpose,
will so unite public opinion, and polite
al action on the subject as to bring about
the restoration of the governments ILL.,,
national, state and local, to the practice
of those fundamental principles on
which, alone a, peoples government can
endure.
The remedies for evil practices at cleo
tions, or the means by which the govern
ment may be restored to its primitive
purity and honesty, when its sole founda-
ton rested upon the virtue and intelli-
gence of the general mass of the people,
is the very perplexing problem which
the American people must soon solve.
Can it be true that these qualities can
not now be depended upon to prevent
in our country, state and city, abuses
so fragrant to every man and woman?
Who has not witnessed at elections, and
even weeks and months before, in our
own Peerless Princess scenes that would
cause an inhabitant of even Darkest
Africa to blush with shameI
The spectacle of man, if
you will allow me to use
the term in this connection,
selling his poliaical influence for so many
dollars and cents, and whisky, beer and
cigars thrown in. Or eNacting a con-
tract from a candidate who has been
nominated by his party for an office, to
give him minor position under him.
The candidate must make this promise
or suffer the only alternative, of having
the entire herculean influence of this
influential political ''beat'' against him;
which, of course, he succeeds
in causing the candidate to be-
lieve in many instances, would
cause his defeat. Many of the latter
class of individuals make profession of
responsibility, and they succeed IN de-
ceiving many as to their true character.
There has been no grade established by
which any of these buns may know
their exact value; but at every election
both spring and fall they may be seen on
the street corners and around political
headquarters offering their influence"
in large or small quantities according to
the ability of the candidate 70 buy. And
these abuses exist not alone in Wichita,
in Kansas, but the same and far more
open and fragrant, inadequate to the
times.
Many attempts have been made to
enact laws that would have the effect of
purifying our elections. That the con-
ditions would have been worse, but for
these enactments, there can be no doubt.
Hon. George L. Douglas introduced
bill in the house at the last session, en-
cd In of fror
at elections" which was in my judg-
ment bill that should have become a
law. But that Legislature cleft undone
many things it should have done" and
did things 1t should not have done. The
Lord deliver us from any more legisla-
lures OF that kind.
All determinations should begin with the
individual, then the city, county, state
and nation. l have a suggestion to make
in regard to our own county, which, in
my judgement, if carried into effect by
legislative enactmentS. would not only
be beneficial TO our people, but profitable
as well, aud would have the desired eff
feet of preventing much OF the bribery,
fraud and illegal and unlawful use of
money at elections.
The salaries paid TO the officers OF
Sedgwick county, added to the proceeds
of the offices that collect fees, at fair
estimate, for the last three years reaches
the extravagant sum of $50, 600, or more,
per year. This is entirely too much
money; and accounts for the corruption
fund used at elections. From 81
200 to 81, 500 per year is all
the salary this county ought TO pay 10
any OF its officers. We would have Just
as good and competent men as we have