Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1906-03-31

gins that the rules of party warfare,
according TO the corrupt practices act.
apply.
How Laws Are Evaded.
There Is no law against what Is here
called nursing constituency" before
an election. As a prospective candi-
date merely, the man Of wealth can
spend money freely In paving the way
TO victory. IL isn't considered bribery
and corruption then; II is open.hand.
ed generosity and laudable public spir
IT, Many a would-be statesman spends
thousands In making himself solid
with the voters. That process costs
him vastly more than the law permits
him TO spend on the election Itself.
How II Is done is well indicated In the
following report OF a speech made by
a prospective Conservative candidate
In wales, which is extracted from the
4 Western Mail:
PERSONALLY he knew, although he
had only been resident in their midst
about two years, a good deal about the
social side of the town He was a
member OF 3S football clubs. ~ cricket
clubs. 4 or 8 homing pigeon societies,
bicycle clubs, hockey clubs. golf clubs
and various race meetings, not to
speak of agricultural societies. rife
clubs. horticultural societies and chry-
\ santhemum societies. He was also an
Odd Fellow, Forester. a Druid a
Buffalo, a Free Forester, a member OF
the Twentieth Century Benefit Equlta.
BILE Society, and last. but not least, the
Cabmens' Sick. Benefit Society. He
-. 10 H.. Of ri
did not look upon him much in the
light OF a politician, but as sort OF
pocket Hercules"
Obviously the phrase a pocket Her
cules" is not Intended TO mean Her.
cules OF small size. but a Hercules OF
the pocket-that Is to say man whose
strength. or Influence Is chiefly that Of
the pocket. But the speech shows the
superiority OF British methods com.
pared with those OF Tammany for In.
stance. Voters are not bought. The
pocket Hercules" advocates what he
regards as the right and patriotic
cause, and as for bribery or anything
of that sort he would scorn the action.
But happening TO take a manly In.
terest In football, cricket, pigeons, bi.
cycling. hockey. golf, racing, farming.
and friendly societies, he becomes a
4 member and patron OF various clubs
devoted to these causes. And being a
candid man. he mentions this fact at
a dinner when his remarks are report.
ed In paper which supports his polit-
ical views.
In many constituencies, in fact the
majority. the determining factor In the
selection OF candidate Is the amount
OF money which he is likely 10 expend
on the district. II Is this which put
so many young lordlings. fresh from
the universities and totally ignorant
OF politics. into the House OF Com
mons. Hhe same consideration wins a
seat for Squire Longjaw and makes
the brewer an NJ. p. The terms OF The
bargain are thoroughly understood on
both sides. The candidates must
spend money freely. not only before
they are elected. but as long as they
retain their seats.
or course, there are some men who
escape these impositions by their
brilliancy and eloquence. Their pres
ence In Parliament Is considered so
indispensable to their political party
that the managers OF the latter pay
their electoral expenses from the cam.
paign fund. As soon as they have
served through the entire term of
Parliament for one constituency. they
are nominated In the next Parliament
for some other electoral district, as
far distant as possible from the first
one, and where their disinclinatlon to
respond to appeals on their purses Is
more or less unknown. The managers
of party usually take care to have a
candidate OF this hnd-that Is to say,
one who possesses more brains than
money-followed by one who has
more, money than brains. In this way
things are evened up and the voters
prevented from losing faith in the par
TVS gospel OF political salvation.
4 oid-Time Form Of Graft.
Q Despite all that is said OF the ter.
rible corruption of American politics, -
the campaign fund plays quite as Inn
portant a part in English elections as
Il does In America. But II Is obtain.
ed in different fashion. For the prin.
cipal subscribers are not rich corpor-
ations who seek legislative protection,
or office-holders, prospective or act
ual. but rich men who are anxious ell.
ther for seats In Parliament or titular
distinctions.
A large number OF peerages, baronet-
cies and knighthoods have been con
ferred since the corrupt practices act
was passed, which are admittedly
merely party rewards for liberal con
tributions to the electoral campaign
n 4 1.l