The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-11-15
SUNDAY. NOVEMBER is, 1903.
mo Compromise With Bribery.

The opposition in Virginia to law
! prohibiting the improper use of money
in elections comes from two sources
from those who wish to buy votes and
j from those who wish to sell votes.
Is It possible that these two classes are
sufficiently strong TO control legislation
In Virginia? Is 1t possible that the law
on this subject In Virginia Is to DO die
! tated by men who purchase votes and by
4 men who sell votes? II so, God save the
i Commonwealth.
/, It is argued by some good citizens Of
slNirEinia that wealth and intelligence
should rule at any cost and that the
only way for wealth and intelligence to
control the ignorant and vicious vote
!, IL through tho use Of money. 1t Is even
(, contended by some that 1t is patriotic
duty for rich men to purchase the votes
OF purchasablc voters and use them iii
i the interest of good government. Grant
!! this to be true, which, of course. we do
not grant, what guarantee IS there
THAT only the patriotic rich will traffic
\ in ballots?
II the laws Of the land sanction the
wholesale and indiscriminate purchase OF
votes. it goes without saying that the
buyers will not be confined to good and
patriotic men, who purchase votes, as
they allege, for good and patriotic pur-
poses. Given such situation, and cor
rupt men, with their pockets full OF
Z No too
ket and purchase votes for corrupt pur-
poses and debauch the suffrage and de-
bauch the government. Our elections
5swould soon degenerate into farces, into
39 contests between rich men. the victory
going to him who should have the long
Il est purse.
u Moreover with large fund Of corrup-
4 ton money in every campaign, the num-
4 her Of purchasable voters would contin-
Il ually increase and Generalization would
Y spread like contagion. The stream,
cannot rise higher than It's source. The
water of the stream cannot be purer
4 than the spring from which it flows.
y II We corrupt the suffrage, we must
I Inevitably have a corrupt government
u II we are to have true Democracy
q we must have an honest suffrage, ant
q we must set our faces against every
\ means employed to debauch It. We can
Z. not get good results out Of evil methods
IA The present pure elections law Is de.
n fective, but because 1t has not operated
tsito the satisfaction of Everybody is no
81 reason why 1t should be repealed. 1t
I should DO amended in such a way al
IA to remedy the defects and strengthen
4 the weak places. Let us have in Virginia
Il a law that will, so far as tho law cal
do it. prevent the corrupt use OF money
in elections, prevent bribery. prevent mer
X from offering bribes. and prevent mer
from accepting brides. Let us have 8
law that will make 1t 80 dangerous Il
g9 the bribe.giver that he will not dar
IA to purchase votes; and let us make tn
i tpenalty 10 tho bribe-taker so severe
gA that he will not dare to sell his vote
III The penalty for bribe-givng and thu
penalty for bribe-taking should be tht
a same-should be everlasting disfranchlse
sc ment
& The Virginia Constitutional Convention
was called for tho purpose OF purifyin
# elections In Virginia. But II we are 60
s Ing to throw down the bars and allo,
\ corruption money TO be expended with
rs out limit; II. indeed we are not to hay
law that will prohibit the corrupt US
Of money In elections, the convention
81 10 FAR as this subject ia concerned. vii
have been held In vain,
III ----=-----
The Tohn Brown Fund.