The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-11-06
THE CASE OyERsTATED.

The Albany Argus makes the following
statement:
at is estimated that one-third Of the
yCters In this Stat demand money on
election day. and that in several or the
county towns the evil has assumed even
greater proportions. In certain wards IN
Albany fully two-thirds of the voters want
money for their votes
II we believed this statement we should
have but little hope for the future of
Republican institutions. for, though the
statement is confined TO New YORK, the
fact that Republican institutions have
produced such widespread depravity there
would prove that 1t was their nature 10
work out this result and If that is their
nature the virtue Of the strongest race
would fall before them in time. We do
not. however. believe the statement, or
anything like it. Within the past twelve
years New York has had two elections
which totally disprove it. When Mr..
Cleveland was the Democratic candidate
for Governor against Judge Folger there
were ten Republican dollars TO be spent
I'm the election to one Democratic dollar;
vet. because the Federal administration
had the effrontery to come into the con-
test and try to force Folger upon the
people, they rose up en- masse and gave
Cleveland such a majority as never was
heard of in the history of that State.
In the fan of 1892. when the issue be-
tween the parties was the reduction Of
the tariff. the protected industries would
hrve furnished money enough to pay ten
dollars apiece for one hundred thousand
Ind hpt TOW 20
sum was necessary to secure the State
to Harrison The State went, though,
for Mr.. Cleveland by the great plurality
of 45,5lS. Loose talk, founded on con-
lecture, goes for nothing against facts like
these. The editor of the Albany Argus
has known some cases OF very bold
purchase of voters, and he has generalized
from those cases. He has plainly, how
ever, allowed too much Importance TO
them.
Bribery of the individual voter is in
famous. but we do not look upon bribery
Of the individual voter as the serious
danger connected with the corruption of
elections. Surprising a great part of the
population was corrupt and susceptible
to bribery, it is yet too difficult and too
dangerous to get at sufficient number
of electors with brides TO determine an
election in most cases. The dangerous
use of money in corrupting elections is
where il Is given to political leaders by
avowed friends of their own party. The
last election in Virginia furnishes an
illustration of the way in which money is
used in its most dangerous way for cor
rupting the suffrage. Two or three hun
dred dollars are given to a candidate
for the Legislature. by some one inter
ested to have a voice in that Legislature,
nomnally to assist him in his canvass,
but when 1t gets into his pocket he in
Variariy finds that Illicit relations have
been thereby established between him and
the donor that he is never thereafter able
10 sever In this way the donor of the
money comes to acquire dominating in
fluence over the Legislative body. by
which he is able TO warp it into the per-
Torrance of whatever he desires 10 be
accomplished. That is the point where
money gets in its worst work for corrupt
ing the suffrage.
Its next most balefm work is accom-
plished in the purchase of the election
officers. These are the dangerous places.
These are the points at which elections
are debauched by the use of money We
entirely agree with Mr.. Cleveland who
said, in acting on an application for par
don:
II cannot pardon crime against the
election laws, except 1t be in case pre-
senting unusually strong considerations
for clemency. l consider such offences
the worst Of all crimes. and l know of
the minis mant of which is
important 10 the public"
We must end corruption in our poll
ties, or we shall all go TO the dogs.