The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-03-11
MIR. Fox's ARGUMENT

English Corrupt Practices Act.
 The leading features of the argument of George L. Fox, head of the Uniyer- sity school of this city, on the proposed Corrupt Practices act before the legis- lative Judiciary committee on March 3, are as itelnized as follows:
 1. English act passed in 1885, and tested in five parliamentary elections, has proved very successful in prevent ing bribery and in lessening cost of elections. -s .z 3. In 1880 cost of Parliamentary elee- tions was $S,5O0,000; 1885, S5O00, 900; 1886, s, 100. 900; 1892, S4,S00,00O; 1895, SS,- Se0, ,Oo0; 1900, $SSOO,0OO. All parliamen- tary election expenses are paid for by candidates. MAIN FEATURES OF LAW. f
 8. Corrupt practices defined, rigorous penalties prescribed under three heads (a) corrupt practices; (b) illegal prac- tices; Co illegal payments.
 CORRUPT PRACTICES.
 f. Direct and indirect bribery in same way. Penalty same for treating, un- due influence and persuasion, or for bribery. Bribers and hribed both con sidered equally guilty. Chief penalty is loss of election, disqualification for office for seven years, and possible i'm. prisonment with. fine. .s ILLEGAL PRACTICES.
 5. Paying for carrying voters to polls, hiring helpers at polls beyond the num- Der allowed, paying for bands of inu- sic, flags, torches or ribbons, and pub fishing false statements about candi, dates.
 6. All contested election cases tried on petition by two judges of Queens bench, who must agree in order to irl- validate election. s
 z. Law provided for unity of expen- ditures by requiring that all expendi- lures should be made through one duly appointed election agent for each can didate. .:.
 s. It provides for limitation of expen, ditures by strictly limiting services for which money may be paid, and by limiting amount which each candidate may pay according to number of cleo tors. The actual expenditure in 1900 fell more than a million dollars below the maximum amount allowed by law. Average amount allowed in borough of ten thousand voters is $3,000 in city. borough, and $5.O0O in county bor- ough, and additional $50 or $500 res pectively is allowed for every increase of thousand voters. .f. 9. It provides for detailed and prompt Ill ,@fE Lxr scribing certain cast-iron forms of affi- davit for both candidate and agent, to be returned duly sworn to within thirty-five days after the election. Failure to do this brings exclusion from office and fine of $500 a day for every day of delinquency 10. In England, since 1868, in Canada, since 1873, the trial of contested elec- tion cases and questions pertaining thereto have been placed in the courts Il. Since 1890 19 states of the Union have passed Corrupt Practice acts, which have proved of little value or efitiency. In five states these laws have been repealed as dead letters on the statute book. r'-- . 12. Proper tests for such law ac- cording to the successful English or Canadian standard.
 (a) Does it carefully define crimes against elections and provide adequate and certain penalties?
 (b) Does it provide the same penalty for briber and bribed?
 Co Does it provide an impartial tri-
 bunal for trial of alleged offences?? (d) Does verdict of guilty invali- date the election, and disqualify for holding office for certain period? (e) Does it impose upon some public
 official the duty of investigation and ! possible criminal prosecution of offen- ders?