Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-03-07
a PURE BALLOT.


| iS~irf ceHtucf.
| 1t appears that after borrowing tie
Australian ballot system from king
dom IN order to purify AMI protect
our republican institutions from the
ravages Of the average American pol
'tlcsan and vote-purchasing corrup-
ZIONIST, it now becomes absolutely
necessary for as to make another
draft on that same kingdom for its
"corrupt practice act" As an auxil-
iary and reinforcement of that system,
the Australian ballot system has heen
on trial in large number Of the
States for several wears, giving gem
eral satisfaction as far as casting the
vote goes. But it, alone, holds no
check on candidates and their merce-
naries in the lavish expenditure and
corrupt use of money during cam
paigns and at the polls. Consequent
ly to further promote the purity Of
elections the "cnrrnpt practice act"
has been and is being added to elec-
ton laws of several States. Among
the number are New York, Massa
chusetts, Michigan, Rhode Island.
Minnesota and Colorado. Also, Cal
ifornia has a similar bill before her
Legislature which has been carefully
drawn by the " Citizens Defense As
sociation," of San Francisco" and
which no doubt will become law.
Now why not our law makers try
this additional reform in making the
franchise what it should be here in
Idaho? his additional safeguard to
the rights of the citizens provides
that every convention or body max
ing nominations for Offices shall Sc
lect a certain number of citizens ia
receive and disburse the moneys con-
tributed in any way to be used in
promoting the election OF the candi-
dates thus nominated. The citizens
thus selected must file their accept
ance in writing and no list of nomi-
nations can be fled unless accom-.
panied by u n-> the citizens
selected, and their acceptance of the
trust. These citizens constitute a
committee and are required to file
after the election sworn statement
E of all moneys received and expended
by them. All candidates are also
, requested to file statements of al
, moneys contributed to and expended
| by them. Refusal or neglect to fils
the statement is made misdemeanor
and the candidate, if elecied to al
office, forfeits the Office in conse
!, quence of such refusal or neglect
The candidate is limited in the amour
, that he may lawfully expend to
j. certain percentage on the amount o
the salary for one year of the ofiic'
, for which he is candidate, the lengt
Z of the term of the Office regulating
' the percentage of the salary allowe'
to be expended. A candidate will
y fully expending sum in excess O
the amount allowed is punishable a
), for misdemeanor, and forfeits an
. office to which he may have bee
elected. Ample provisions are mad
!, for enforcing these penalties and ex
cludng from office persons who hav
forfeited the same by reason of an
offense committed contrary to tn
law.
Now, it may be contended tina
such regulations would be difficult t
enforce, and that it would be an in
fringement on the personal right
and liberty of the individual in be
coming a candidate for office, et'
, But the people have rights more sd
II cred than those of politicians and in
i dividual office hunters whose only all
" is success, no matter by what mean
) it is necessary to employ to accen
y plish their selfish purposes. But tn
;, corrupt practice act" has bee
:, thoroughly tested in England an
$. some of the American States, in a
G. of which it has given good satisfa'
n. ton as an eradicator of corruptio
= from the ballot box, and in breakln
= down the present line of inequali'
* between the rich and poor man
10 becoming candidates for offiee,
CHARLEY THOMAS arises to corre