The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-03-30
FOR PURE ELECTIONS.

FOR PURE ELECTIONS.
Below will be found an extended sum-
mary of the pure elections bill soon to be
introduced at Harrisburg by the Pennsyl-
yana civil Service Reform association,
which. as we recently explained, follows
the lines of the law now in successful
operatiuu in Missouri: The act first de-
fines the crime of bribery, and provides rs
punishment an Imprisonment of not less
than two years nor more than five years
and a fine of $500 and costs. The treating
by Il candidate for the purpose of intluenc-
ing votes is declared 10 be bribery. and
fine of $2j for each offcnse is imposed. An
innovation, intended to put an end to the
expenditure Of money for other than lesit-
innate campaign funds Is introduced in
section as follows: Every person who
shall be a candidate before any caucus
or convention, or\ ut any primary cleo
ton, or at any election for any state,
county. city, township district or munic-
ipal Office. or for senator or representa-
tive in the legislature of this common
wealth, or congress of the United states,
shall within thirty days after the election
held to fill such Office or place, make out
and file with the officer empowered by law
to issue the certificate of election TO Such
office or place, and a duplicate thereof
with the recorder of deeds for the county
in which such candidate resides, state
meut in writing which statement and
duplicate shall be subscribed and sworn TO
by such candidate before an officer au-
thorized to administer oaths, setting forth
i'm detail all sums of money contributed,
disbursed. expended or promised by him.
and to the best of his knowledge and be-
lief, by any other person or persons in his
behalf wholly or in part, in endeavor-
Ing to secure or in any way in connection
with his nomination or election to such
office or place, or in connection with the
election or any other persons at said cleo
ton, and showing the dates when, and the
persons to whom, and the purposes for
which all such sums were paid, expended,
or promised. Such statements shall also
set forth that the same is as full and ex-
plicit as affiant is able 20 make 1t. No Of
fcer authorized by law to issue commits
sions or certificates OF election to any sucn
person until such statement shall have
been so made, verified and filed by such
persons with said officer" Failure 10
comply with this provision is punishable
by q fine not exceeding $1,000, and no per-
son shall enter on the duties of an elective
office until section shall have been COM
piled with.
The bill then proceeds to declare that at
any time during the term of office of any
public officer elected i'm this state, any
citizen may present an application in
writing. and verified by his affidavit, to the
attorney general, setting forth one or
more charges of bribery against such pub
lie officer and further setting forth that
the applicant desires said attorney gen
eral to bring an action to have such public
Office declared vacant on account of said
violation Of the laws concerning elections
Such application shall be accompanied
by bond to the commonwealth In the
penalty of 81, 900" 1t Is then provided that
1t shall be the duty of the attorney gem
eral within ten days after the receipt of
such application ana bond, to begin an aC-
ton against such public officer, or to in
struct the prosecuting attorney of the
county in which such public officer re-
sides, to bring such action within ten
days after such notice. to have said office
declared vacant. and for such other or fur
ther relief appropriate In an action against
the usuTpeT of any office or franchise"
II Is also provided that should the attor-
ncy general fail II shall he lawful for the
applicant to bring such action. Such an
action shall have preference on the docket
Of any court in the state, over all other civil
actions If the charges are sustained, the
defendant shall be ousted and excluded
from the office, and the plaintiff, who IL
the candidate receiving the next highest
number of votes shall be awarded the Of
flee unless some similar charge can Oe
proven against him. In that case the Of
flee shall be filed by appointment or a new
election IT Is also provi~cd that "No per-
son shall be excused from answering any
question on trial of such action relating
to any of the acts claimed to have been
committed by any party thereto on the
ground that such answer would tend TO in
crmlnatc or degrade such person or Wit
ness But no such answer or answers
shall BE- used or be evidence against such
witness IN any criminal action, prosccu-
ton or proceeding whatever"
Every political organization Is compelled
to appoint a treasurer through whose
hands all the money spent for election pur-
poses must pass The treasurer must
keep an account OF all such moneys and
within thirty days after the election shall
"preparc and file In the Office of the re-
cordcr Of deeds of the county In which
such treasurer resides n full, true and de-
tailed account and statement. subscribed
and sworn ito by him before an officer
authorized to administer oaths, setting
forth each and every sum of money re-
CciVe0 or UlSDufScU ny MN TOT any OF tnc
objects or purposes mentioned In the act
within the period beginning ninety days
before such election and ending on the day
on which such statement is flled the date
of receipt and each disbursement, the
name of the person from whom received
and the object or purpose for which dis
| bursed. Such statement shall also set
| forth the unpaid debts and obligations OF
| any such committee, with the nature and
amount of each, and to whom owing, In
detail and If there are no unpaid debts or
| obligations of such committee such state
| mont shall state such fact. These state
ments shall be kept on file for four years
and shall be open to public inspection"
| Appropriate punishment is provided for
violation of the provision of the net by the
| treasurer or the mutllation of the books
| While II IL believed that this bill will pass
the present legislature, which has thus far
shown precious little sympathy with bal
| lot or other reform, II Is the associations
belief that public sentiment will eventual