Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1905-01-10
TUESDAY, Jan. 10. 1905
"a OF AcuE OF CORRUPTION

uuaI message " tiiS kSkAsAoto+S - ~
retiring Governor, Winifred I. Dur
bin, concerning the political corrup-
ton Of that state. which is equally
applicable to other states. Governor
Durbin says:
"The time has come for the applica-
ton OF drastic remedial measures %
the plague Of corruption which is fast
ening itself upon our politics. We
have in Indiana advanced legislation
for the protection of the purity Of the
ballot, but the statistics Of political
debauchery in this state for 1904. II
it were possible to present them,
would be nothing short Of astounding.
II am informed by unquestioned
authority that in single county in
Indiana casting in 1902 little more
than 5000 votes there were in the last
campaign nearly 1900 voters regularly
listed as purchasable. and that $3.50
raised by assessment from candidates
and otherwise was spent by the con
tending political parties in the effort
TO control the county.
Instances have come TO my atten.
ton during the past few weeks where,
in contests for township trustees,
votes have brought SO aud $50 each.
Our present need is legislation framed
in the light of clearer conception of
the enormity of the offense involved
in the purchase or sale of vote. Our
present statuet is farcial, as it places
no penalty on the vote-buyer. be-
lieve consideration should be given to
the advisability of requiring the grad
ual introduction of voting machines. =
AS parting warning to the Legis-
lature the Governor says
"If reports current can be credited,
this session of the Legislature will be
called upon TO resist the importuni-
ties of the most corrupt professional
lobby that has visited itself upon any
General Assembly in the history Of
the state Already the names of mem.
bers of the General Assembly are be-
ing used, and the necessity of large
sums of money to prevent needed leg
islation or to pass questionable meas
ures is being urged.
What a sad commentary upon the
political conditions of the country.
But what is true of Indiana. is true
Of many other states, but few Cover
nors. for their party sakes, have the
courage TO boldly proclaim the truth.
BUSINESS MEMS ASSOCIATION
The Annapolis Business Mems AS
ISOLATION has taken most important
step at the beginning of the new year.
lie is TO fine members who do not at
tend the meetings. This will not only
increase the funds in the treasury.
but will. perhaps, be an incentive 70
members to attend more regularly.
Important business cannot be transact
ed without full attendance of the
Association and the work of the bust
ness men is often hampered ON this
account.
There is no more onportune time
than that at the opening of the year
for the business men of Annapolis to
get together with a view to increasing
our commercial Importance in 1905.
No town can hold its trade and in
crease the same without some effort
on the part of the business men TO
keep the name of the city prominent
ly before the outside world and there
by attract trade and population. The
newspapers of the city have always
done their part to advertise the city
and its advantages, and il now be
hooves our commercial houses to help
by liberal advertising in the papers
OF the city, and also by personal solic-
itation to the outside world.
Annapolis is advantageously located
both by rail and water, and il has ex-
eeptional facilities. If the wide-awake
Business Men Association be liberal
~ supported by every business house
in the city, and will advertise Annap-
oils properly, there will be an appre-
ciable growth in trade within a short
time. There is not a business firm in
the city who cannot afford TO expend
at least $40 per year toward keeping
mp live Business Mems Association,
and this small amount of money would
40 far toward placing the name and
advantages of Annapolis before the
outside world. and attracting here
from the West and elsewhere desirable
business enterprises and desirable cit
liens.
The possibilities of Annapolis have
never been thoroughly appreciated by
our people, or they would have long
since contributed much towards the
material growth of our community.
Let every business man renew his in
terest in the city's growth and well
fare, and buckle ON his srmor at the
beginning of this new year. 1905.
Beginning with the new year, 1905,