New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-21
coRREPT PRACTICE CUREs.

The Association to Prevent Corrupt Practices
at Elections has undertaken highly important
work and all good citizens will wish 1t success
Its proposals. outlined in letter to Governor
Higgins contain suggestions worthy OF careful
consideration. and some of them, we believe,
might well be adopted. We should have been
inclined to think however that one of its plans
had not been thoroughly thought out if the as
ISOLATION itself did not discount any such ex-
PLANTATION by declaring itself fully aware of the
radical nature" of what it proposes. 1t advises
that where the agent Of political party can he
proved to have brbed voters in any district all
votes cast for candidates of that party in that
district shall be thrown out.
This is not merely radical. it is dangerous.
We care not how radical may be a remedy for
politcaI corruption If it will really the evil
aimed at and not bring worse evils III Its train
The proposal of Mr. Low and his associates
would he an almost Irresistible temptation to the
politicians of one Marty to put up jobs on an
other 1t is notorious that petty agents OF one
party-election inspectors and district captains
at times sell themselves to the other. How
easy 1t would be for clever manipulation to hire
the agents of a rival organization to divert
little of the money given them for legitimate eX-
penses to Ilegitimate purposes 1t may be said
that workers would not dare thus to commit
crime but plenty Of men can now be found ready
to commit such crimes on very slender promises
of protection. Open such door to intrigue, and
political ingenuity would be adequate to the pro
duction of agents ready to do the work and take
the risk
Moreover. the punishment proposed does not
seem to fit the crime BY what right is an in
nocent voter to be deprived of his voice because
somebody else commits bribery? Even if an
enemy does not put up a job but some con-
scenceIess party leader of his own will thus seeks
lle9itrately to influence the election that does
not warrant the Acknowledgement of whole
classes of voters. Besides, where would the line
be drawn? What are political partys votes in
a district? Are they the straight tickets? Are
they the tickets that only have scratch
two scratches what proportion Of straight
ness? Is the part of ballot given to a party
in whose behalf bribery is attempted to be
thrown out while the other part is counted? If
not on what theory can the straight party man
and the half and half party man receive differ
ent treatment?
This scheme involves altogether too many com
plicatons, and. moreover it carries to an
IRENE the dangerous tendency To treat parties
not as voluntary associations of citizens but as
legally established governing entities. In Eng
land where a single officer, member of Para-
ment. is TO be chosen in a district bribery on his
Individual behalf may reasonably invaldate his
election As the sole beneficiary of bribery he
may be presumed responsible. But with vast
array Of candidates from Governor to Assembly
man such assumption is warranted and surely
no independent in politics will be willing to adj
nit that votes should legally be construed as
cast for party rather than for individual can
didates. Yet that is just what the plan of
Mr.. Low and his associates involves The as
ISOLATION thinks that the votes for party in
single precinct would be negligible for any i'm
portant Office while so vital a matter for local
candidates TO insure their vigilance against
corrupt practices Too often, however have
presidencies and governorships turned on a few
hundred votes for that theory to he adopted
With such a method for throwing ont votes at
hand every party facing close election would
take out insurance policies against defeat, and