Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1899-02-10
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1899
"LEGITIMATE EXPENSES


truth of all we said as to the de
inoralizing influence Of campaign
funds" when Improperly used, but
contended that we put it too
stronghold very little, if any,
money was spent in this country
except for ''legitimate expenses
If this gentleman is correct. we
are in sad need of a new lexic0-
grapber. We want new and
broader definition of the word
Legitimate The accepted mean.
ing of the word, and that which
is given in our dictionaries, is all
wrong, if this gentleman's state
ment is correct.
Let's see? In last two cam
paigns in the Ninth district. for
instance, at low estimate, 80.
600 was spent. For what! The
speakers in the campaign, on both
sides, had right to compensation
for their services, aud this was ole.
climate" Was this $4,000 used
III this way? If so, the few speak
ers, there were must have been
valued extremely high.
Was this large sum spent in
printing! This would have been
Legitimate" Our books show
that we received not enough to
pay for one issue of our paper.
Our brethren of the press must
nave gotten an extremely large
amount for their services.
OF course, everybody knows
where the money went. 1t is use
less to discuss this phase of the
question. The "legitimate" phase
OF the question would be amusing
If 1t were not so serious.
If 1t is 'legitlmate' TO buy and
sell votes, OF to use money 10 sin
nuence' votes, then why the law
on the statute books against it,
According to the law the peniten-
tlary stareS in the face the buyer
and seller of votes, as well as IN,
man who hampers with the ballot
box. The only trouble about the
law is that it is not enforced. Both
parties TO the nefariouS business
are equally guilty, and hence one
dare not inform on the other. The
law makers may have had this i'm
view when the law was framed.
The law should be changed. max.
ing only one party Liable 10 arrest
ana Imprisonment, and then il
would be more effective. AS il
is, men combine-league together
to buy votes and corrupt the bal
lot box, with impugnity-and
church people, too, IN some in
stances.
There ought to be check put
upon this enormous evil. Even
from a business standpoint. it
should be done. Under the ores.
ent ruinOus custom, any office COS 5
almost as much-and some times
more-th an it is worth. 1t is nm.
Duslness-like, to say the least.
We modestly make this sugges.
ton: Let there be a meeting of
the candidates for office, and each
one assessed an amount necessary
TO defray Legitimate" expenses.
such as printing, expenses Of
speakers employed, if any, and let
THIS amount be placed in the hands
Oh a committee, who shall pay it
out only upon certified, itemized
statement, and receipt taken. and
the whole statement made out and
published III the papers. And LET
1t be understood, upon solemn
pledge, that not one dollar shall
De used for illegitimate purposes,
as set forth in the law. Womb
not this be fair to all--the rich and
the poor alikeg
LII some step could be taken look
ing to, even checking just a little.
this awful evil, a brighter day
would dawn upon us.
Better, by far, is the gun and bay.
onet policy of some states. than rbe
policy prevailing in others, of pur
chasing the body and souls of men
with money.