Smyrna times., 1895-05-08
Preventing Corruption at the Polls.
v1rws From PARTY srANDpoINTs.


VIEWS FROM PARTY sTANDPoINTs.
A bill passed the Senate week or
two ago to punish the practice of po-
liticaI corruption, viz: vote buying and
selling. It is a matter that interests all |
classes of people and the proper thing |
for us to do as matter of information,
Is to state what is said on each side, for |
The Tnder says: "We have not the
slightest intention to give this bill the
color of partisan act. 1t is bill for
honesty, for right and for purity"
The DeLdUGredn, ia announcing Itself
in favor of the publication of our poll
tics by the suppression of bribery, says
''The bill certainly ought to be acted
upon. but it has been referred to COM
mittee and is kept slumbering. There
is now q rumOr that the Republican
House will not affront public sentiment
bv the direct defeat OF the proposed
act. but will indirectly seek its defeat
bv loading it down with partisan
"riders" in which the Senate cannot
concur. Such attempted legislation by
| loading one bill with other propositions
which would have no chance on their
own merits is always reprehensible.
Every measure should stand or fall on
| its own merits"
The Sentinel on the other hand
speaks of it as "Buncombe" legislation,
| intended to hit only one phase of pO-
! litical corruption while all the others
| are left in tact and entrenched in SUI
| preme power. The Sentinel, under the
head of Corruption BuncOmbe" gives
the following reasons for defeating the
bill because it proposes to lop off only
one form of corruption: -
"A bill passed the State Senate q few
days ago for the ostensible purpose of
preventing bribery at the polls. This
bill is delusion and snare, pure and
simple, and no loyal Republican ought
to vote for it. 1t ought to be killed
without ceremony. We are opposed
to bribery at the polls or anywhere, for
votes or for anything. We are opposed
to corruption in all forms, and espe-
cially as it applies to the franchise; and
will go as far as any one to eradicate
it. At the same time we are just as
much and as unalterably opposed tC
this bill.
When we call to mind the repeated
attempts that have been made in The
past to obtain justice at the hands o
the courts for outrageous violations o
: the law pertaining to the franchise
: when we recall the numberless appeals
that have been made to the courts TO
! our rights under the law; when we re
! member how utterly futile and barrer
have been all these attempts, and how
absolutely deaf have been the courts t.
all these appeals, and what a hollow
i, mockery have been all proceedings be
. fore the courts or jurieS in all sue
% cases, we repeat, we are opposed to tn
bill.
"The Democratic party for twent
years has held power by means @
bribery at the polls. and all sorts {
!; corruption, and by violations of tn
= = law by which Republicans were robbie
u of their votes. AS our courts and jur
les are now and have been constitute
; and made up, imbued as they are will
i strong party spirit and party attach
ment, it goes without saying, no on
. will gainsay it, that no Democrat cOul
Il be convicted for a crime against th
ballot and no Republican could escap
conviction on any pretext.
"The very latest effort to obtain ju
tice, if there were not other, the men
ory of which is very fresh with us, WI
:. sufficient to settle that matter, and /
convince the most skeptical. Over
hundred names were stricken from Il
registration lists, who were legally rel
istered, of men who, to quote the Chi
Ie Justice, had as much right to vote as
n had, and vet when the matter wa
brought into court in an orderly ,peac
a, able manner, for a legal remedy, tb
l. same Chief Justice weakened on Il
d, side of his party, vacated his seat {
* the bench and left town.
D. "And what gives that disgraceful q
ie fair the greater significance and en-
phasis, is the fact that the proceeding
re in that case were instituted at the su
V. gestion, almost the request, of memb
of the court, coupled with a whispers
n, assurance that full, ample and absolu
nt justice would be done and the dam
le able wrong righted. Into the hands
lg such a court we are not willing to tru
10 any question savOring Of politics. Al
q: if the court was disposed to deal fair
III in matters political, with a grand ju
an solidly Democratic as at present, and
at petit jury almost equally so, what she
Iy would Republican have, or VIII
chance of conviction would there
en- for a DemocratP No; the bill und
ne discussion is two.edged sword, it CT
'e- both ways. If it were possible
". amend it so as to compel in all cas-
er, the empaneling of an evenly divid
sss jury,-evenly divided as to its polite
complexion,-it might safely pass; b
re in its present shape it is about paral
to the division of spoils made by t
10 white man. between himself and 4
81 Indian. IN take the turkey and Y
take the crow, or you take the or,
ey and I'll take turkey The Indian
lst reported to have said, You say
turkey to me once time