The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-04
THOSE CONTESTS.


From the Scranton Truth.
The way of the office-scekor like that
or the transgressor. is hard. In the first
place he has to make himself solid with
the dominant faction Of his party before
ne Is quite certain that he can become n
candidate; secondly he has to run the
gauntlet of a nomination through a con-
vention in which cash is potent argu-
ment; thirdly there's the ordeal of pro-
tracted campaign. with its assessments
big and little its sleepless nights and
days of distraction; its falsehoods, insin-
uations, and all the petty mcannesscs
which the malice of small minds can In
vent: then comes the election, when the
ballot is supposed to decide the entire
affair to the relief OF the community.
o
1t would be a relief indeed IL the aver
age campaign were closed with the cast
ing and the counting of the vote, but of
late, II seems, that an election instead OF
deciding the issue. is but an incident in
the work of office-Eetting, since it leaves
room for a contest" Now. a contest Is
all right and proper If a candidate has
been cheated at the polls, and has done
no cheating himself. but a contest set
UP 'for revenue only" or for the purpose
of keeping a lawfully-elected candidate
out of Office is a rcprehensible piece of
business worthy of being classed in the
NdltSOIy VI CIlIne.
o
Lackawanna, although the youngest
county i'm the commonwealth. has already
paid dearly for its election contests, and
the prospect of having the taxpayers
saddled with another picturesque bill of
expenses. is not cheering to contemplate.
There is urgent need of "A law on this
subject, for the restraint of veXatiouS. OF
"boodlng' contests Such law should
Droyidp that tboSp who institute contest {
give ample security for the payment Of
all the costs in case 1t should be shown.
after a searching investigation that their
contention was groundless.
1t Is a gross injustice to the taxpayers
to impose such costs on the county for
the purpose of gratifying the whms and
promoting the interests OF politicians
whose own methods are not by any
means above reproach. and there is need
of a stringent law that will protect the
rights of all-thosc of the taxpayers as
well as of the defeated candidates who
may honestly feel that they have been
wronged and look to the courts for re-
dress. The present law Is too lax in this
| regard. Its provisions invite the abuses
| against which taxpayers have protested
| time and again, and it should be amended
| at the very next session of the legisla-
ture in accordance with common sense.
We believe all the signers to petition
| for an election contest should be required
| to give sufficient bonds for the payment
| of the costs in case 1t should be ascer'
| taincd that there was not sufficient
| ground for such contest. This would
have the effect of making petitioners look
| into the matter for themselves before
| signing their names as they do at pres
| ent without giving the subject mo-
ment's thought or consideration. The tax
! payers have been feeced often enough
| through bogus and Doodle election con
| tests. and it is time they protested
! against the entire system. and demanded
| that those who dance shall pay the piper