St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-05-01
for any money. gift. loan. or valuable COM

for any money, gift, loan, or valuable con-
sideration, office, place or employment, pub
lie or private, for himself or for any other
person, for voting agreeing to vote, or
refraining or agreeing to refrain from vot-
ing at any election. (2). Every person who
shall, after any election, directly or indi-
rectly, by himself, or any other person on
his behalf demand or receive any money or
valuable consideration on account of any
person having voted refrained from vot-
ing, or having induced any other person
to vote or refrain from voting at an cleo
ton, and any person SO offending Shall be
guilty of mtsdemeanor, and shall be pun
ished by Imprisonment in the county Jail not
more than three months.
Section 8. Any candidate for public Of
fice or any person seeking to become the
nominee of any party as such candidate
whO within ten days prior to any primary
election or meeting held to select delegates
to convention to nominate a candidate for
the public Office which he seeks to obtain,
or who, within sixty days prior to the cleo
ton whereat an incumbent for the Office SO
sought by him Is chosen, corruptly by him.
self or by any other person. directly or In
directly, gives or provides or pays, wholly
or in part, or promises to pay, wholly or In
part the expense Of giving or providing any
meat, drink, entertainment or provision, to
or for any person, for the purpose of cor
person to give, or refrain from giving, his
vote at such election, shall be guilty of
misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof
shall be fined S25 for each offense.
Section A. Every person who shall, directly
or indirectly, by himself or any other per-
son on his behalf, make rse of or threaten
to make use of any force, violence or re-
straint or infiict or threaten to inflict. by
himself Or by any other person, any dam
age, harm or loss upon or against any per-
son, in order to induce such person to vote
or refrain from voting at any election, or
who shall, by abduction, duress or any
fraudual device contrivance, impede and
prevent the free exercise OF the franchise OF
any election, or shall thereby compel in
nraVat1 aQctOr either TO
give or refrain from giving his vote to any
election, shall be guilty of misdemeanor,
and upon conviction thereof shall be pun,
ished by Imprisonment in the county jail
not more than three months"
Said committees also pledge themselves to
the enforcement of said law, and to Wig
orous prosecution of all persons in any way
violating any provisions OF the same.
Chairman Republican Executive Committee.
j. G. Michael,
Chairman Democratic-Citizens' Executive
Committee.
The only reply ever received by Mr..
Michael to the Communication above quoted
was a letter from Mr.. Schumacher, dated
April 25 of which the following is a copy:
Hon. ]. C. Michael. Chairman Democratic
Citizens Committee st. Paul, Minn.-Dear
Sir. In answer to your letter Of the Gath
inst. respecting the issuance OF circular
calling attention to the provisions of the
election law , relating TO corrupt a practices.
letters, before our committee at its meeting
yesterday afternoon.
The members seemed to think that as the
city clerk had already prepared and pub
lished the notice in the daily papers, and fur
nished the different political parties with cop
les of It, and also had posted 1t in conspic-
uous places throughout the city, it would not
be advisable for our committee to incur the
expense Of further publication and distribu-
ton as you suggest. Most respectfully yours,
IT. L. Schurmeier,
In view of these facts In this correspondence,
the question at once becomes exceedingly
pertinent, why is the Republican city COM
mittee unwilling to pledge itself publicly to
an enforcement Of the corrupt practice act,
and to prosecutions Of violations Of the same?
Is 1t because that committee fears that in
carrying out such pledge it will be obliged
to assist in decimating the ranks of its
own followers? Is 1t because 1t believes that
1t is for the interests of the Republican party
that political workers should remain In ig-
norance of provisions Of the corrupt prac-
tice act, and be permitted, through such
ignorance, to violate It, all for the profit and
supposed success of the Republican party?
We will not say that either of these motives
actuated the Republican city committee in
the course that 1t has chosen to take. The
circumstances of the case, Of course, have
not failed to raise suspicion in the minds
Of all those cognizant OF the circumstances
that some such motives may have existed.
OF this much, however. the party can be
assured. That the Republican city committee
has shown itself once more unwilling to CO.
operate In conscientious and energetic at
tempt to secure an enforcement of the laws
that were made for purity in elections. Their
conduct in the matter is of piece with the
course they have pursued in connection with
the proceedings to rid the official ballot of the
names of men who, by corrupt and fraudu-
lent and criminal practices, had forced their
way upon 1t, and as one of the counsel for
the petitioners in that proceeding said, COM
mitted larceny Of the name Of Democrat. 1t
is well that the voters Of the city Of st.
Paul should appreciate the fact that through
out this campaign the Democrat-Citizens'
party has stood upon the one hand for purity
in elections for fair ballot and the enforce
ment of law, and that the Republican party
has stood upon the other side, abetting the
violations of the law, encouraging its vio-
laters. totally obliyious to all the duties Of
good citizenship. We do not believe that
when the electors Of this city understand the
respective attitudes of these two political or
ganizations they viii fail to stamp the re-
creancy of the Republican organization with
their disapproval upon election day.