Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-10-28
warnlns 10 wanla-be vote- bnyera.

Warning tn Wauid-be Vote buyers.
The yenel Republican politician who
recently suggested to reporter his
brilliant schema for eva1ing tho pom
altes provided in the now Constitution
against corruption OF the suffrage,
really builded hetter than he knew.
BY exploiting his corrupt suggestion he
has called public attention to tho evil
no desires to promote, and tho result 10
storm of indignation at his debasing
proposal.
Tho scheme evolved by TINS corrupt
minded politician ia TO 'ioan" venal
voters dollar apiece with which to
secure registration, taking in each in
stance the note Of the corrupted voter
as security" This plan: he couceives,
would relievn the participants of all
penalties, as it would constitute sim
pie business transaction, willis tho giver
of tho corruption fund need neger at
tempt to collect upon tho worthless
notes taken ns security, +"
But it can safely be assurad that any
attempt to put this srandalnus scheme
in operation will BIO sternly opposed.
| As far as Sussex county is concerned
fair warning is giyon by tho SUSSEX
Journal which, after quoting the cor
rupt proposition, says:
Wo hops, sincerely h1pe, TINT every
illegal registration of voter and every
purchase of vote, will be Obtained
hy just such q contract as proposed by
tho above quoted CIIon Republican.
III such ia done we will guarantee to
the people of this State that every
party to such contract, whether he be
the oDligor or ohligea, whether buyer or
seller. shall suffer the penalty as is ny
the Constitution 10 such cases made
and provided. This buying anu selling
of votes must be stopped, and for this
purpose the new Constitution pruvid I'd
radical anu drastic meaHurca. which
every decent man Of the State will feel
bound to zee carried out TO the fullest
extent.
Knowing only toe well tho sins OF the
past, the buying and selling of electoral
franchises, the journal pledges ITSELF,
its honor and its all. that such will not
be the case in the future. either by
direct ur indirect methods, Tho party
whose only hope OF supremacy il by the
dobauchory of the electoral franchise
shall not he allowed further To furnish
tho fair maze Of this State hy thwars.
ing the viii OF the people through cor
ruptinn funds
The man who makes the boast al
above quoted is worse than common
thief, fur he would clear himself of the
law, ard then boast OF his sarewd act.
But the like will never be allowed.
Tho nse Of money for corruption pur.
noses is a matter of history in this
State, and our jails are waiting for Just
such persons as would attempt TO eradt
the law by the dollar contract
method.
We do not think there will 10 any
lack OF resolute, determined NOR
throughout the State to emulate the OK
ample of the Sussex journal anil pre-
pare to smite tine rorrupter of a pur,
ballot, no matter in what guise be ma,
anpsar. The mon who framed our new
Constitution will no doubt bo vigilap
in seeing that the safeguards will
which they surrounded suffrage are re
spected, and all citizens who endorsl
their work will SECOND their efforts il
, this direction. And when it ia recalled
that prosecutions for offences agains
the ballot arc brought directly bsfor
the courts. without the Intervention o
eithar grand or petit jurors, it may h
assumed that convictions for thes
offences will not bu such difficult mat
tors as thoy heretofore have proved.
, Altogether, We are of tho opinion
that under the new order of thing
venal politicians will hesitate long orr
, they attempt to perpetrate rrime
against the ballot. Even such scheme
as the dollar loan on note" to voter
4 will not work now.