Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-11-25

umnS Will Uc 1OuuO y ucW iucS CoACoi niue
purity of elections; 1t is that every vote
before he votes shall be sworn that he hai
neither given Or received bride.
In our humble opinion the $50 help mi
God" condition upon which business ID BE-
ing based is growing into an absurdity-i
not worse-a crime.
In the first place our Australian Ballot
system IS based upon the assumption that
the American voter has so weakened In his
morality since the days Of the Fathers. when
the system of universal suffrage was an.
nounced as the foundation of new govern
ment. that It is no longer universal suffrage,
except as to the single fact Of privilege to
vote, but that money consideration and
not an honest conviction, sways and con.
trolls the real act of suffrage and that is not
the simple act of casting a vote, but tho in
tent and substance Of the vote a. cast II
this be not the assumption that has warrant.
cd the passage of the various Secret Ballot
systems; II the morality of American citizen.
ship, considered singly and strictly from the
viewpoint as voter, il rs yet an unknown
quantity, then there laws are libels: If 1t has
become demons.rable that venality has un.
dermlned our political manhood and that
political morality has been eakened to an ex.
tent that 1t ia impotent to secure us against
40 mean hH evil Is venality. We doubt the
availability, rather the prscticability OF q
method that will further compromise the
people In their own estimation, humiliating
them by the confession that only by shaking
10 their faces the penalties Of perjury are
they to be able to freely and honestly record
their political wishes at the ballot box.
That 1t will largely effect the end aimed at
we do not doubt, for bad as our political
morals are assumed to he by the accepted
fact of the necessity of protection, precau-
lions and penalties OF existing election laws,
We as a people surely wifi halt at perjury,
but VIC question the wisdom OF making this
a final tesot!,, for, in the first place, 1t will
assuredly be accepted as a final resort and
when avils In the body polite, as in our in.
dividual bodies, arrive at a stage where dcs
perate remedies in the line of final resorts
become a recognized necessity, Their hope
itself begins to fail us. Would 1t be well,
think you, to begin an attack upon the hope
of the nation?
Take glance at the downward and back
ward steps that have b.en taken since the
first days Of the Republic in this matter Of
suffrage.
Al first registration WAS unknown because
/, WAS unnecessary. The election laws were
of the simplest and aimed only at securing a
correct report OF the votes cast by male citl.
zens of twenty .one years Of age and upwards.
Voters cast a ballot for, whomsoever they
desired, within or printed. They were not
even governed in their choice BY nominating
conventions. Then came the conventions
directing voters for whom to cast their bal
lots. As political morality waned, regisIra'
ton was introduced TO prevent non residents
from voting and residents from repeating"
The election laws became more complicated
aud more stringent. Another evil grew
apace and the open ballot was worked by
the bride. giver and taker and the degencracy
of politicians rendered it absolutely neces-
sary that the ballot he additionally hedged
about with preventive measures and the
Australian System WAS introduced and the
cry still goes forth protect us against our
own Venality, il does not suffice, let us e1or.
else this demon by confronting it with the
spectre of Perjury"
The fault lies largely, almost wholly. with
the people who take great pride in being
recognized as the "better element with
those who would be grossly offended were
they 10 be classcd with the "Aoaters
Time was when children of sixteen years
listened with batcd breath while their par.
ents told of some one no had bcendetectcd in
the shameful act Of purchasing vote and
the condemnation that was meted out to the
bride. gycr and bride taker was earnest an
honest; they became for time pariahs in
the community and it was remembered
against them for years.
How is it today:
Dare any one pretend to dispute the state
mcnt that money is now relied upon to carly
elections!
Who provides the moncy-,he "foaters''
the bribc-tnkers,
Oh no! 1t IS the respectable element, God
save the mark.
Are men ashamed of it, No; it is their
boast.
Has not familiarity with it bred contempt
for those who assume to be too good to do
it!
Has not this evil, In other words, grown in
respectablity as it has increased in practice
and while confessedlya grievous error, yet
winked at and condoned by the very citizen.
ship upon which alone must eventually fall
the task Of uplifting the great Amer lean in.
stitution the ballot.
Uplift 1t then: do not further degrade it
by the confession that we have arrived at the
very bottom Of the abyss; that nothing short
of the penal laws for perjury will prevent
the utter debauchment of the suffrage A
peoples institutions will be no better than
the people; an oath may make dishonest
man tell the truth, but 1t leaves him as 1t
found him, dishonest man: an oath may
prevent bribery ut elections, but the moral
effect of the confession of its necessity will
be the lessening Of our own selfrespect as a
people from purely political standpoint, a
sfata of nffaira truly dpnlnrnhla when we