The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-12-14
Continued from page one.

Conunued from page One.
Providence. r. l.. December II, 1903
To his Excellency Governor Lucius r. c
Garvin:
! beg leave 10 submit my report to you
OF the efforts made by me. as your spe-
cial attorney 10 prevent and detect
bribery at the polls I'm the recent general
election I'm this state
u VIII be recalled that I'm a special
message 10 the general assembly you di-
rected attention TO the practice OF
bribery In this state and took strong
grounds against IT, that later. IN a
magazine article, you made some re-
fections upon the same subject which
caused much discussion not only by the
press OF this state but by the press OF
other states as well that the Springfield
Republican published many news articles
ana editorials calling attention 10 the
corrupt condition OF this state; that the
New York Evening Post sent special
agents here TO investigate the charges
OF corruption against our state and as a
result OF the investigation printed n
series OF articles giving substantially
correct statement OF the real condition
OF this state respecting bribery. which
articles. printed In pamphlet form, were
distributed In large quantities through
out the state during the last campaign;
that the local press and campaign
orators on both sides made the question
OF bribery an issue I'm the campaign.
your opponents, contending that al
though bribery had perhaps been prac-
uced In the state TO some extent. you had
committed a grave ofrense by publishing
the fact In a magazine article outside
OF the state and by refusing 10 give the
name of an official referred TO IN that
article, and your supporters contending
that you had told the truth and taken a
brave stand and should be upheld.
Then followed your anti-bribery proc
lamation which was printed I'm the news
papers OF this state and posted at all the
voting precincts throughout the state.
DIDN'T CATCH BRIBERs
Under such circumstances you called
me TO undertake the task OF getting
evidence against bribers and prosecuting
them TO final conviction. IL was like
hunting thief with a brass band.
admired the reason given by you for
calling on me TO undertake this task.
viz, that you wanted Democrats as we'll
as Republicans caught II they practiced
bribery, and that you believed that I.
being neither Democrat nor Republican
would act with entire impartialty
made every honest and legitimate effort
TO catch both, and in several cases came
very near doing so, but so completely
parties that they few 10 cover and took
the greatest precautions In paying out
money. doing so in the most secret man.
ner.
t-is conclusion reached by me, as
result OF this special work as well as
from observation and careful study OF
the subject OF bribery for years I'm this
state. that bribery is practiced by both
Republicans and Democrats
c. L..
of many men of this state sunk, that II
has been no unusual thing for me to
hear leaders OF both parties openly de-
clare that the only way TO carry an cleo
tion was by buying enough votes to win
III only one OF the great political parties
In this state practiced bribery IL would
be a comparatively easy matter TO stop
II altogether. for the honest party men |
could use the men and machinery OF |
their party TO catch the dishonest party |
men, but since one party Is as deep In |
the mire as the other Is In the mud,
neither party will take any active steps
TO suppress bribery.
The Republican managers seem to de- |
pend very largely upon this method OF |
carrying elections. for they have. by
custom. set price upon every office,
which the candidate must pay, and the |
money thus raised, together with the
money contributed by corporations ana
individuals with axes TO grind, goes into
the general fund for election purposes
The Republican party leaders must
shoulder the greater weight OF respon-
sibility for our deplorable political con-
ditions.
ADVISES BOTH PARTIES.
II both parties IN their next state con-
ventions would take strong grounds
against the pernicious practice and hon.
esty live UP to their platform declara-
lions, the practice would be reduced TO a
minimum. IL may be that IN some local
contests money would continue to be used
illegally by individuals but public opin-
on would soon frown so sternly upon a
candidate who would resort to bribery
hat the custom and practice would al
most entirely disappear
The legitimate methods Of conducting
'olitical campaigns, viz, by discussing OF
ssues on the stump and In the press, by
circulating literature. and urging all men
o exercise the right OF suffrage, accord
ng TO their most enlightened judgement.
ire oest calculated 10 promote a govern
nent OF the people. for the people and by
he people.
AS 10 what did and accomplished ] will ,
low make report IN as fun detail az
lcen II advisable. Z
WHAT WAS DONE. :
In the first place selected certain I
'iues and towns 70 which / confined my ..
operations. In all OF those. cities and ,
owns | enlisted the cooperation OF one !
'r more local men, whom | knew per- :
onally and could trust These local men !
rave me all needed information as to /
VINO would be likely 10 handle the money. I
where it would be paid and who were con- 2
.ldered 10 be the purchasable electors
from these men I gained a great deal OF q
'aiuaoie Information. In the next place 2
employed a sufficiently large number OF r
inspectors 10 go 10 the selected cities and a
owns and get evidence for convictions 4, {
possible employed as inspectors some =
experienced detectives. whose business 4,
% look for criminals and detect crime :
They were the best that could be OBJ h
aimed 4
The rest Of the men employed by me =
we're bright. active. intelligent young men a
Who, though inexperienced as detective. =
accomplished quite as much as the ex. =
'crienced men. In the matter OF careful !,
- 'aAfAhA