The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-08
GUARD THE BALLOT
AGAINST CORRUPTION BY THE USE
OF MONEY.
ANTI CORRUPTION RULE:
MIR. HARTRIDGE,s SCHEME BE
FORE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.


Committee Discussing the Rules.
Not Believed That They VIII BE
Adopted - Committeeman Thinks
Candidate Who Would Buy Vote
Would Not object to signing Iron
Clad Oaths Suggested-No Way to
Get Around Hartridge Rules il
Adopted.
Rules to prevent the spending of
money at elections were read at the
meeting of the Democratic County
Executive Committee last night. They
were drawn up by Candidate Walter
C. Hartridge and were introduced by
Col. John Juchter. Because of the
small number present nothing was
done about the rules, and it was not
decided whether to tack them on to
those agreed upon by the special COM
mittee.
Mr.. Hartridge's rules are framed for
the purpose of preventing the purchas-
ing of votes, or the use of money in
an improper way. If adopted, and car
ried out, in their present form, a re-
form would be brought about in Chat
ham county politics, and an election
would be held without the use of
money for workers.
A member of the committee stated
it as his opinion that man who
would purchase a vote would not hesi-
tate to sign the oaths proposed by Can
6idate Hartridge. Another member
who has been opposed to the primary
scheme stated that he would vote for
the adoption of the rules rather than
go into a primary under ordinary cir
cumstances. He gave it as his opinion
that unless a primary can be conduct
ed on the lines laid down by Mr.. Hart
ridge it would be better to have a
fight in the open. While the COM
mitteeman did not say so, it has been
found that open fights are cheaper for
candidates than primaries, for the rea-
son that the white purchasable vote
costs much more than that put on the
market by the negro. The rules pro-
posed by Col. Juchter, and which viii
be warmly discussed tomorrow night,
are as follows:
First. No candidate in such primary
is permitted, directly or indirectly, by
himself. or through others to use mon
ey or other thing of value, or to prom
Use money, or other thing of value, to
procure, obtain, or influence a vote.
Any candidate offending against the
spirit or letter of this rule shall be de-
ciared in the manner hereinafter set
out not to be or have been a candidate
in such primary.
Second Immediately before the polls
are opened for the reception of ballots
on the morning of said primary each
candidate who desires to participate
therein shall hand to the chairman or
acting chairman of the party a state
ment of his campaign expenses which
shall be verified by the candidate un-
der a written oath in the following
form:
Georgia, Chatham county,, -
do most solemply swear
that / have not, in any way, directly
or indirectly, used money, or other
thing of value, or promised money or
other thing of value, for the purpose
of purchasing, procuring, obtaining or
securing a vote, or influencing a voter,
but on the contrary in all things 1 have
erence to elections. And l further
swear with all solennity that no party
for me, on in my behalf, with my ex-
pressed or tacit consent, sanction or
approval, has bought or secured vote
by the improper use of money, or other
thing of value, or by the promise of
money or other thing of value. And
further swear that the statement of
my campaign expenses hereto attached
-
my expenditures.
This oath is taken by me without
mental reservation or equivocation,
and is to be filed with the chairman or
acting chairman of the Democratic
party in Chatham county, as a con-
dition precedent to my being voted for
in the primary, this day to be held.
Sworn to and subscribed before me,
To-. this 1G01
Third. No one shall be considered a
candidate before the party in said pri-
mary unless such statement and oath
are filed in accordance with the rule
Immediately preceding this.
Fourth. After the polls have closed,
and before the announcement of the
result of said primary, each and every
candidate participating therein shall
file with the chairman or acting chair
man a written oath, as follows:
Georgia, Chatham County-I--,
do swear most solemnly. and without
the slightest mental reservation or
equivocation that l did not, upon the
day of the primary for ordinary, di-
rectly or indirectly, use or promise
money or other things of value to pro-
cure or obtain a vote; nor did in any
way seek, improperly, to influence a
voters choice; nor did any other per-
son, in my name or in my behalf, with
my expressed or tacit consent, sanction
or approval to do so; but, on the con-
trary, ] did not in any way violate the
law of Georgia or transgress the letter
and spirit of the rules of the Demo-
cratic party governing said primary.
Sworn to and subscribed before me this
Sept. Z, 1901.
Any candidate who fails TO file said
oath with the chairman shall not be
entitled to an announcement of the
votes received by him.
Fifth. Should any candidate violate
these rules in letter or spirit he shall
upon charges filed as hereinafter speci-
fed be declared not TO be entitled to
any benefit TO be derived from said
primary, that is to say, If the candidate
so violating shall have received the
highest number of votes cast he shall
be declared nevertheless not to be the
nominee of the party in the general
election. In that event the candidate
receiving the highest and greatest
number of votes and who has not vio-
lated the laws of the state or trans