The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-11-16
BRIBERY OF TWO SORTS--AT AND
BEFORE ELECTIONS.

lie sentiment hSdihSC pAloeiy' ~ az
crime that has not flourshed greatly in
North Carolina though it has long de-
launched the politics of certain counties
and has now and then been seen in its
corrupting influences in most close coun-
ties. In the recent election, in the State
at large, there is cause for congratula-
ton because in at least wo-thirds OF the
counties the election was conducted In
a manner to reflect credit upon the in
tegrity and honor of the people of the
State. In every county the election was
fair and stained by no crookedness or
partisanship. But in certain close coun-
ties in the State, in Central North Caro-
lima. and in nearly all the counties in
the Kluttz- Blackburn district and the
Gudger- Moody district bribery by money
or whiskey, or both, ran riot, and voters
were purchased like sheep and debauched
like savages. OF course bribery and
corruption could not and did not directly
affect the great bulk of the people who
compose the electorate of those counties,
but as it had full play with the meaner
portion of the population it put stain
upon the good name of those counties
where it was employed. In addition to-
buying votes with money, nearly every
annex to the Republican party and maud
| lin drunken men were hauled to the polls
| to be voted by paid hirelings Bribery
was not confined to one party, but the
| scandal of the corruption by distilleries
| is chargeable solely to the Republican
party The distilleries, the agencies Of
destroyed, root and branch, as a first
| step to secure decent communities and to
stopping bribery and corruption in poll
! tics.
| In the matter of bribery, the sin lies
at the door of both political parties. In
sermon at Thomasville, Davidson coun-
| ty, the venerable Paul ]. Caraway on
Sunday night preached vigorous sermon
in the Methodist church against the crime
of vote buying and vote-selling. He said
that Davidson county is distinguished
above all other counties in the State for
| this evil" Writing of the sermon,
Charity and Children says: "He de-
nounced the corruption of the suffrage
in unmeasured terms and plainly init
mated that the buyer is every whit as
mean as the seller 1t was d courageous
sermon and we hope will result in good"
There is need for more Paul j. Cara
ways in the pulpit, in the press, in the
| political world-men who go at the root
of the evil without vain and peevish and
unwarranted SANDER of good men. This
crime can be stopped in North Carolina.
/ The good men of the State now that the
| horrors OF Radicalism no longer engross
attention, will put an end to bribery. And,
while Davidson county is not a sinner
above all other counties, it is one OF the
/ places where the most strenuous efforts
must be employed to prevent the wide
| spread vice of vote buying and vote
sellirg-a vice in that county which at
/ taches to men of both political parties.
The laws against bribery should be en-
! forced, and righteous public sentiment
created that will remove this blight
ton which was held this year.
| There is another phase of bribery in
politics that needs to be considered and
| condemned by patriotic men. 1t has
flourished to some extent in a few coun-
| ties in North Carolina and it has touch.
| ed the whole State in its baleful intiu
ence. Early in the administration it was
set on foot in South Carolina, under the
supervision of Senator McLaurin, and,
| to a lesser extent, in North Carolina by
Senator Pritchard. We refer to the
policy of buying influence with offices.
| Mr. McLaurin expected to revolutionize
| South Carolina by bribing editors and
other influential persons with Federal
| Offices 1t seemed 10 De HdNIHS d ihcao-
ure of success until an offer of the Col
umbia post-office was virtually made to
| Gen. Wade Hampton. The old Roman
| spurned it with indignation, saying that
he was too old to betray his people for
! office From that hour the influence or
every man in South Carolina who had
been given Federal office was destroy
ed Wade Hampton's action in spurnlng
the bride put the bride giving and bribe-
taking in it's true light. McLaurinism
persisted in a day under Wade Hampton's
noble contempt. The men who had been
! given the offices couldn't control vote
except their own
In North Carolina, to less degree, the
! McLaurinisnl of attempting to get re-
cruits to the Republican party by Civ