Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1895-11-10
WEEKLY INDEPENDENT.
Purity OF Elections.

Hon. Thomas Wren has the follow
ing communication in the Eureka
Sentinel:
4EDIToR SENTINEL: The provisions
of the @Purity Of Elections Law that
can be most easily enforced and that
will be found most effective in put.
q stop to corrupt practices i'll the
nomination and election Of our public
officers are sections 4 and IL. Section
4 provides that my candidate who
fails to file u statement or makes a
false statement Of moneys received
or expended rs prescribed by Sec
ton 3 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. II the incum-
bent is the guilty candidate however,
he fcrfeits the Office as incumbent
and as the successful candidate.
Section IL amongst its 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
il he is the incumbent OF an Office mt
the time OF his election he shall for
felt that Office also. IL a candidate
procures, aids, counsels or advises the
payment OF any money or other valu-
able consideration by or on behalf OF
u committee selected under the Act
which would il the candidate eXpend.
edit himself work u forfeiture Of the OF.
flee to which he had been elected,
shall III like manner forfeit the OF.
flee.
at is an old adage, that every
body's business ia nobody's business.
The Legislature III passing this law
seemed TO have had this in view, and
by section 1S made it the business OF
the District Attorney specially to see
to the enforcement OF the law. Sec
tion Is provides that the District At
torney, when notified that the law has
been violated. il there is reasonable
grounds for instituting a prosecution,
shall file a complaint charging the
offence. 1t further provides that
II the District Attorney fails or refus.
es to perform any duty imposed up.
on him by the Act, he shall FORFEIT
Ills oFEIcE. 1t further provides that
it shall be the duty OF the District
Attorney, under penalty OF the ron
PICTURE or his OFFICE, to prosecute
L persons guilty Of a violation Of
my OF the provisions OF the Act, the
penalty Of which is fine or imprison.
ment or removal from Office.
@Tho Lawmakers were also evident.
ly OF opinion that u District Attorney
might possibly be himself corrupt and
disposed to shield political friends
and supporters OF luke warm or inef.
f%cient, and therefore they further
provided that any citizen might EN-.
ploy nm attorney 10 assist the District
Attorney and that be should hn rcr.
CgE..ci nhi
the Court ~ %assoria.u counso. ,..,.
that no prosecution, action or pro.
cecding shall DO dismissed without
notice to Or neutrality-suspicious. OF rs.
sociato counsel, aud rot until the
reasons Of the District Attorney, to.
gether with tho objections thereto,
shall have been fled in writing md
fully considered by the Court.
"From the above twill be seer at Il
glance that these sections OF tho law
not only go to the root Of the OWL
practices heretofore prevailing. but
In providing in addition to punish.
mcnt criminally for attractions Of the
law by candidates and committees
that successful candidates fhall for.
felt tho Office 10 which they have
been elected. the Legislature has
adopted Mt ono a just and the best
remedy to stop corrupt practice in
the nomination and election Of II
public officers"