Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1895-11-06
COUNTY OFFICIAL PAPER.
Purity OF Elections.

Hon. Thomas Wren has the follow
ing communicative in the Eureka
Sentinel:
EDITOR SENTINEL: The provisions
of the Purity of Elections Law" that
can be most easily enforced and that
will be found most effective i'll put
stop to corrupt practices in the
nomination and election of our public
officers are sections and IL. Section
provides that any candidate who
fails to file statement or makes Il
false statement of moneys received
or expended as prescribed by sec
ton of the Act, in addition to the
punishment prescribed by the laws of
the State, shall forfeit any Office to
which he may have been elected. 1t
further provides that no certificate
of election shall be issued to him and
no official bond presented by him
shall be approved. The incumbent
of the Office, unless he is himself the
guilty candidate, is required to con-
tinue to hold the Office. If the incum-
bent is the guilty candidate however,
he fcrfeits the Office as incumbent
and as the successful candidate.
Section II amongst it's other
numerous provisions provides that any
candidate for an Office who pays, lends
or contributes any money or other
valuable consideration for any pur-
pose in contravention of the provis-
ions of the law, in addition to the
punishment prescribed by the laws of
the State, shall forfeit any Office to
which he may have been elected, and
if he is the incumbent of an office at
the time of his election he shall for
felt that Office also. If candidate
procures, aids, counsels or advises1the
payment of any money Or other valu-
able consideration ny or on behalf of
Il committee selected under the Act
which would if the candidate expend-
eel it himself work forfeiture of the Of
flee to which he had been elected.
shall IL like manner forfeit the of.
lice.
at is an old adage. that every
body's business is nobody's business.
The Legislature IN passing this law
seemed to have had this in view, and
by section Is made it the business of
the District Attorney specially to sec
10 the enforcement of the law. Sec
lion Is provides that the District At
torney, when notified that the law has
been violated, if there is reasonable
grounds for instituting prosecution.
shall file Il complaint charging the
offence. 1t further provides that
if the District Attorney fails or refus-
es to perform any duty imposed up.
ON him by the Act, he shall FORFEIT
HIS OFFICE. 1t further provides that
it shall he the duty of the District
Attorney, under penalty of the FOR
FIXTURE OF HIS OFFICE, to prosecute
ALL persons guilty Of a violation of
any Of the provisions of the Act. the
penalty of which is fine or imprison-
ment or removal from office.
"The law makers were also evident.
ly of opinion that District Attorney
might possibly be himself corrupt and
disposed to shield political friends
and supporters or luke warm or inef-
ticient, and therefore they further
provided that any citizen might EN-.
ploy an attorney to assist the District
Attorney aid that he should be rec
ognized by the District Attorney and
the Court as associate counsel and
that no prosecution, action or pro-
ceeding shall be dismissed without
notice to or against objections of as
sociate counsel, and rot until the
reasons of the District Attorney, to.
gether with the objections thereto,
shall have been filed in writing and
fully considered by the Court.
"From the above it will be seen at q
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