The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-20

Of reputable families-have sold them
selves in the political shambles ana nave
been led TO an ignouinious slaughter Of
their manhood and respectabiiity- The Sc
cret ballot only adds to the intoieraole
conditions by enabling young men VINO
dare not sell themselves IN the open and
be escorted TO the voting window by their
purchasers TO avail themselves of the Sc
creey'- of the ballot and sell at the high
est price offered in the vote-buyins mar
ket The conditions are as intGlerabie as
they are depIorable. All elements CT the
Democratic party (the seller cannot De
classed with any party recognize the al
most utter hopeIessness OF the situation
and would gladly welcome remedy IN
der present conditions the first requisite
for candidate on the ticket OF either
party is a substantial bank eccount-the
larger the better Not only are the can
didates themselves impoverished by mon
ster campaign assessments. but every
county official and each member OF the
party is asked to contribute to fund 10
debauch voters and secure political su-
premacy by outbuying the other side.
prominent Democrat said If this
thing keeps on few years more nearly
every man in the county viii have ms
price. The law is ample for the suppress
sion of this startling evil but both sides
the case there is no hope OF abatement
Let the Democrats go into the next cam
paign with a pledge not to outrage the
manhood OF any voter and with deter
mination to prosecute every Tote-buyer
and seller in the county (eaeh seller in the
county is known to the buyers OF both
parties) and every man could De caught.
One campaign would stop this wholesale
traffic in American citizenship. OF course
J-+x-
army of sellers, win in that particular
election. but it would be q victory so dear
/ " purchased that a repetition would not
be desirable"
These. conditions, however. are neither
/ confined TO Eor peculiar TO Kent county,
but ara TO 4 greater or less degree prev
alent in every Eastern Shore county. The
fact that Kent is politically one Of the
most uncertain counties in the State has
/ probably exaggerated the trouble here TO
| some extent It is now hoped that she
will be the pioneer in eradicating this
blight. With the passing of the years the
gradual increase of the rewards offered
| has spread the circle OF influence 1t Is
| estimated that IN FIVE years the white puF-
! chasabie vote has increased 500 The ne
gro. who for so long Stunned the allure
ments of the vote-buyer in his enthusiast
tic adherence to the party of Lin
coin, has fallen from grace in
| large measure and now is mar
ketable commodity on election day Of
each year The buying of votes has been
reduced to so perfect a system that lead
eTs of each party are thoroughly posted as
to every movement of this great army of
sellers prior to every election, and on
election day a veritable tug of war sets in,
which only closes when the last of these
| questionable voters has been safely land
| ed. When the risk has been particularly
| hazardous the voter is not allowed to, or at
| least does not, vote, receiving half price.
In other cases the ballot is cast and some
/ system Of Identification is employed.