Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-11-14
POLITICAL CORRUPTION.
lohn Wannamaker Says II Is Full lime 10 Call
Halt

New York, Nov. 13.-The World will
publish. tomorrow, the following sign
ed statement by John Wanamaker:
philadelphia, Nov. IS.
The recent revelations of corruption
in the conduct of elections in Phila-
delphia ought to deeply impress thought
ful citizens the entire country over
with the urgent necessity for ballot
reform. BY ballot reform | mean such
/ legal enactments and regulations as
! will. first. make the ballot absolutely
secret. and therefore. absolutely free.
and. second, such devices. whether me-
! chanical or otherwise, as will make a
! true account and return of the votes
| legally cast as near as may be an alb
solute certainty. This. it seems to me.
| is the dcsideratum Of modern politics
| in this country.
Political freedom and equality are
| secured by constitutional and statuary
enactmentS ana the only thing needful
| is an electoral system which will en-
! able the freemen of the country to cast
their votes without the intimidation or
coercion ana to have their will thus
| freely expressed. honestly recorded and
returned.
In Philadelphia we have not had an
honest election for many years and
the debauchrry Of the ballot has ac-
quircd the system and precision of a
| science with the dominant so-called
Republican machine. This has not
heen the growth Of a day or a year. but
| has been perfected 10y steady, syste-
matte developments of the most minute
details of original ingenuity. The ma
chine has educated its followers in
election crime. rewarded them accord
ing to their perfection in fraudulent
arts ana rNtollrd ana honored the lead
er~hip which best know how to devise
ana avail itself Of corrupt practices
ana protect ana promote its dcbased
tools and its disciples.
"Or course ID would have been impos
siplo for the dominant machine in this
city To- have 50 thoroughly suDoriinat"d
the electoral system TO its dishonest uses
han there been a minority organization
of even ordinary honesty ANA compel cncy.
l:ut there is no such minority orGaniZa
ton in this city. What is called the Dem
ocratic organization is hut an agent Of
the corrupt Republican machine, As a
result the Democratic vote has Shrunk
more tuan Two thirds because honest
Democrats declined to follow the leader
ship which treats the party OrSaniza Ion
as an article of merchandise and that has
no princinle or purpose in politics other
than its own snrdid gain.
"All the machines are against ballot re.
form. FOR the machine cannot live ana
thrive a day if the people the honest
masses. whose hearts are right, can ever
obtain An opportunity to freely express
their condemnation ana have it honestly
returned ana recorded. Ballot reform
therefore, | place first on the list of politi
cal needs of the hour. and in Pennsylva
MIA it is the issue which overshadows all
others in its deep Importance and far
reaching effects.
The Republican government does not
exist in this state. because while We
have Republican forms we have no ade
qudtc method for their ultimate expires
sion in a secret. free ana pure ballot,
guarded ard conserved by devices com
petent to insure its purity and protect it
from dishonest perversion AT the hands
Of corrupt political power.