The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-18
British Elections Clean.

= REAT BRITAIN has just passed thru general
election, such would compare with
paign in this country for the election of congress
and president, for England practically chooses her
executive when she selects her parliament Such an
election, if held today, would bring sharply before
the people the Of money in politics The British
claim to have solved this problem, and the natural
inquiry is why, if the English have gotten rid of
electoral DOODLE cannot we? = ~s : -
It would be interesting to have some first hand
observations as to whether there was any buying
selling Of votes in the last parliamentary election,
but the absence of these it proper to give full
faith and credit to the claim that England from the
lowest and viest plane has raised herself to the
highest and purest level Of electoral contests This
condition is attributed to the corrupt practices act
which dates back to 1885, almost before we had be-
gun to seriously discuss the Doodle question on
broad platform.
All previous attempts at legislation had been
half-hearted, says a writer in the North American
Review, but in this act Sir Henry James threw out
drag net which eft1n oophole for corruptionists
There are many provisions in this law, some Of which
we have copied, but the feature which we do not
have and which appears to contain the meat of the
whole matter is that the English statute entirely pro-
hblts the expenditure Of money for or in behalf Of
candidates by any person except his accredited cleo
tor agent and this functonary is not only limited
70 certain expenditure per thousand OF voters, but
must make detailed statement, showing the names
Of the persons employed, their duties the bills in
CURED and the proper vouchers attached to each,
Bribery and treating are defined and made to cover
periods BEFORE during and after the polling Per-
sons who take money from candidates for election
work dsfranchised IL
But the centering Of the money spending in the
agents hands is most important In America if a
candidate does not wish to pay money or has none
to pay "citizens' committee may bride the whole
district for him, while he smirks on a purity plat
form In England such a committee would 20 to Jail
+ 1T spent cent except the money it publicly paid
the election agent It could not hire carriages nor
hire men, 1t could not send presents to doubtful
voters pay the rent of mpecunous friends Of the
cause. 1t could not do anything but be decent and
obey the law. @. -.
An interesting and instructive consideration in
connection with the English law is that It is en-
forced Mr.. Henry Labouchere has left whimsical
record OF this truth in account Of his first running
tor parliament 1t shows that the house Of commons
once took Labouchere seriously. The contest was =
close one and Labouchere and his colleague resored
as ne admits, to many tricks, among others to the
familiar device OF kidnapping voters Of the other
SIDE They were successful and went down to St.
stephens and were thrown out because the house
found that they had hired t.tool many committee
rooms" They had paid rent in a large number Of
business blocks and this was construed as an at
tempted bribery Of the electorate This sort Of stern
administration has driven corruption out of ENGLISH
elections. It would drive it out Of American e1ao
tions. -.z@4~ T2.s...e.