Evening journal., 1897-05-17
MONDAY. MAY II. 1897.
bribery IN DELAWARE.

BTlDtff anu CoIIuplioi at bhS poiin |
have brought the politics Of Delaware |
to a low ebb. The effort which has
been made by j. Edward Addicks and |
his fellow-conspirators to buy the po- |
litical machinery of a state has cor
rupted many men who were, prior TO
the advent Of the Addicksites not sus-
oeptible to bribes. They have pro
ceeded upon such a magnificent scale
in their work OF corruption that in
some parts OF the state yote-buying
and selling have ceased to shock the
sensibilties Of many people But, to
the credit OF the state be 1t said, there
are thousands OF her citizens who re-
fuse to sell their manhood for money,
and who are demanding that the in
iquitous practice be broken up.
Our General Assembly has taken
cognizance of this demand and the
House has passed two bills which. II
concurred in by the Senate, and exc
cuted by the state officials, will render
It exceedingly dangerous for the vote
buyer and vote-seller to ply their trade
in this little commonwealth. Some
radical steps had to be taken for the
protection OF the public interests, and
the House has not shirked It's respon
sibility, nor do we believe that the
Senate will do so.
Every precaution should be taken to
so hedge about the elector with legal
safeguards as to protect him against
the seductive influence of the scoun-
drels who boast of the money they
have used in the work of corrupting
the electorate and who defy the laws
of the state which gives them protec-
tion and living. Not only should this
protection be afforded to men Of weak
and venal character but every news
paper should denounce in unmeasured
terms all sorts of bribery, intimidation.
fraud and corrupt practices at the
polls, no matter who perpetrates the
outrages.
This matter has ceased to be a party
question. 1t has assumed such proper
tions as to constitute a public menace.
Life liberty and property are endan-
gered, and when these three great es-
sentials to human happiness are threat
ened the whole people are forced to ac-
cept the issue and decide 1t summarily.
Bribery in Delaware did not assume
its present proportions in day or a
week or a year 1t prevailed in small
way before Addicks figured as a factor
In our local politics. But it was not
until he brought great wealth to bear
that It became especially dangerous to
the public, although at all times repre-
hensible. He spent his money by the
thousands, and established in each OF
the three counties bureaus OF corrup-
tion. Men were stationed In every
hundred in the state to ferret out those
Democrats who were weak enough tC
sell their votes for Addicks gold. Some
became the victims OF the bribers be
cause they were sorely pressed foi
money; others because Of natura
weakness of character, but it mattereI
not to these corruptors what motive
inspired the selling out OF manhood S,
long as the bargain was closed and tn
votes received. These lists of pur
chasable voters were kept and addei
to from time to time as the systemati
work of corruption progressed, unit
they threatened the supremacy of tn
Democratic party Then these sam
agents began bribing the Republica
voters to desert their old and nature
leaders and this step was the state
salvation. They succeeded in seducin
a great many, but the Republican part
had within itself a large number {
honest men who refused to be bough
just as the Democratic party had, an
these two honest factors prevented II
bribers from prohting by their nefar
GUS work.
That is the situation to-day. TT
honest Democrats and honest Repubi
cans are arrayed against the purcha
able Democrats and purchasable r
publicans, and they are in control
the state political machinery. This b
ing true, il they do not enact son
legislation which will put a stop
wholesale bribery at future election
they will fail in their duty to
vvbIfo