Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-01-19
Thou Art the Man =,

II is pleasing 70 note decided change
in the attitude OF the Delaware State
News OF Dover towards the anti-bribery
campaign. From the position Of a bush-
whacker attacking the reform army from
the rear it has advanced to that of a vol
unteer in the ranks, and it gives promise
Of proving a valiant fighter for the good
cause. At first il displayed decided dis
position to ridicule, if not condemn, the
aggressive ,non-partisan movement against
bribery at elections which recently has
assumed such gratifying proportions, but
now it may be safely set downasamong
chose that came to scoiI, remained to
pray"
In its current issue the State News
gives room to an able consideration Of
the subject of vote-buying, and presents
one Of the most effective pictures Of the
vote-buyer and the vote-seler we ever
saw in print. Here IL is;
The man who buys his neghbors 8 vote
gets more than the vote He gets the little
self-respect and manhood of the seller and
the good name and character of the sellers
family. The vote selleris made TO morally
disrespect and despse himself and is pre-
pared to commit any future evil or crime,
and the man who bought bis vote is morally
and religiously responsible for that crime.
We mean this. The man who tempts
his neighbor with money to do what that
neighbOr without money would not door
might not do, will be accountable in the
the great day Of wrath, for whatever in
iluence that hribe had on that mans life,
and the lives Of his family. The vote
buyer simply steps in and shoulders that
family history and carries it TO hell as fast
as he can get there.
Our observation is, that tho man who
ever sold his vote went on or viii 20 on to
entire moral lepr0sy. He sold his con-
science and became as a ship without n
ruddor. But to the very bottom Of the
deepest degradation he can ever reach, he
drugs with him the man who started him
downward, or gave him that awful shove
after he had started.
As soon as a man has sold and delivered
his vote he looks like a sneak and a thief,
and that look never leaves him. He never
can look an honest man full in the face
again. and generally tries TO keep out of
the way of reputable people He can be
pitied perhaps. But Justice points her
revengelul finger TO the briber and seducer
and cries aloud through all the years of
time and eternity, "Ihou art the man.
Here is the picture. But what of those
who look upon its revolving features and
stand aghast What is their duty
Clearly il is to see that the villainous
work of the vote-buyer shall be stopped;
that he shall not be permitted to con-
tinue the corruption Of former victims or
add new ones to his list Of the damned.
And this is what will be undertaken by
the organization Of honest citizens in
opposition to bribery at our elections.
which is now in process Of formation.
An active, working organization in the
cause Of reform is all that is needed. Those
who are conversant with the detail Of
vote-buying know what such an organiza-
tion may do. It can cooperate with the
forces Of law and compel reform. Il can
so police every registration and voting
district in the State, that no election
rascal who may have the fear of the law
in his mind win dare to attempt the cor
ruption Of a voter. And, with no agents
who will venture 10 risk liberty by en-
gaging in the actual work Of vote-buying
the greater villains who are looked TO for
the corruption funds will make no further
contributions for this purpose.
IL is, of course, easy enough to outline
the anti-bribery campaign in this manner
but there is no reason to fear that il can
not be carried out in a manner equally
easy. Il needs only determined effort
on the part of those who participate in
the organization. In most districts, We
are sure, the mere existence of branches
Of the parent organization, coupled with
a knowledge that the movement is sincere
and in deadly earnest, will be all-sull.
cient. In the face Of such situation
the venal voter will wait in vain for tn,
approach Of the corrupter, for the latter
will not dare approach him.
This much may be accomplished by
the anti-bribery organization which it Il
proposed 20 form in Delaware And will
such glorious promise ahead, what honest
citizen can refrain from lending il the en-
couragement Of his active association