The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-17
PURB ELECTIONS TIEW.
The Philadelphia Civil Service Reform
Associations Bill.
Tho PHILADELPHIA Record Oem.l. In II.

The Philadelphia Record Dem), In It's
| issue OF yesterday, says:
The most important work OF the C-Vil
| Service Reform Association, according 10
X. Francis W FOOD, Is the preparation Of a
! bill sufficiently comprehensive IN us pro
! visions 10 abolish or prevent corrupt eIeC-
| ton work. The lavish expenditure on
money in securing nominations, ana the
| individual and collective corruption tunds
! used In elections are being considered,
! as IS also the steadily growing parry
| evil Of political assessments; New loIh
| state has law when makes II mar
| datOry on candidates FOR pubic once 10
| file with the Secretary Of state STATE
| mcnt OF their campaign expenses, anu
! several other States have made lg'siat'Ee
| efforts jn the same direction IL WIN ne
the aim Of the philadclphia association
10 have the new bill 50 drafted lnat INC
defects made manifest in Othcf Dlll5 OF
! "a like nature VIII be eliminated and their
strong points utilized. IT VIII soon NC
ready for presentation TO the LEGISLATURE
| and every legitimate effort possible ne
| voted 10 It's speedy passage.
The New York bill" SAID X. francs
| Wood yesterday, only calls on cahd'-
dates 10 file statements Oh the!r cam
! paign expenses, and the result IS lhcy
simply say they pay so many dollars
~ me committee. and that ends Il. The
| Amounts stated are as rule rdlculousiy
| out Of proportion to the sums aclualy
| spent, but the whole proceeding IS SIM
| ply a matter Of form, ana iallS chJ+Icly
| of the purpose Tor winch u was INTENDED.
our committee is busy drafting an act
which VIII follow the main provisions or
foatLIes Of the Missouri corrupt pldct'CeS
act. passed on April ], 1875.
I'VE are also at work drafting an
amendment to the act prohibiting poluc-
al assessments, under which the pro ;etu-
iHgs were recently begun before Magis-
tIate Pole. when three defendants were
| bOtlnd over for attempting to collect as
sCssmCntS from Oifice-hOlders. mat act,
as il now stands, only applies TO members
Of al f4.4 En0G1Il
statutcsapples TO Oillcc-hOlders. We want
. include both. TIE penalty fixed Us =
fine not exceeding 500. We think IL
should be both fine and impr.SonmcnI.
Coming back TO the Missouri law, Mr..
Wood continued: "Ihat act, in the trst
place, defines the offence OF bribery at
| elections and provides for the punishment
of those who violate its PROVISIONS III inns
respect as follows: And any person 80
offending shall he guilty of "A felony and
shan be punished by Imprisonment IN the
penucntiary for a term Of not less than
two years and not more than nVe years
and for every such offence he shall forfeit
the sum OF $780, with costs Of suit, 10
any person who sEall sue FOR the same IN
the name of the state. The act also lOf-
bids treating for the purpose of inhuenc-
ing a persons vote, and any violence
or threat OF injury or loss In employment
or business.
the suits now pending here, in one OF
which the defendant threatened 10 give
the name OF a man WDO declined 10 pay
the assessment demanded to the head or
the department who appointed him. The
threat made i'm this case was that the
man would be removed for failure 10 pay.
"The Missouri act sets close limit ON
the amount OF money which a candidate
may spend either by himself or his
agents or through committees or organi-
cations. For 5000 voters or less the sum
fixed for campaign expenses is 500; Tor
each 100 voters over 5000 and under %
600, two dollars is added; for each JOG
over 5000 and up 10 $1,000 one dollar; and
for each 100 over $1,000, an additional hity
cents. .
1T will be compulsory on all candi-
dates, within thirty days after the cleo
ton to file with the recorder of deeds a
sworn statement in writing setting torth
I'm detail all sums contributed or e%pehued
by himself or any other person IN con-
ncction with his nomination or election.
"EarciCal election COntcStS-and almost
every one ! have known OF possessed mat
| clcment-win be obV!ated by the pro-
vision authorizing the person who re-
ccivcs the next highest number of votes
to the successful candidate to commence
proceedings to punish Violators of the
act Should they result in any person
being found guilty, the punishment in
nlcted would carry with 1t the declaring
Of the office vacant" 81,
These are the main features which VIII
be Incorporated in the new corrupt prac-
tices bin of the Civil Service Reform
Association Of this city, and 1t IS the
expectation Of the members. and the
prediction of Mr.. Wood, that the act VIII
be on the statute books before next faIl.