The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1906-11-16
CONGRESS- SHOULD DECLA RI.
MIX. JAtKSON'S ELECTION
INVALID AND A NEW
ELECTION BE
-ORDERED.

In commenting upon the Interview
OF tie Hon. William H j tckson, pub
llsued in The S ,n' on Monday, ano
upon the political conditions on tht
E .stern S orewit is well to say at The
outset that Tin SIN" is not engaged:
in crusade against any individual
or for any political party. Its sole
desire is to redeem the FIRST distric,
from scandal and disg race that arr
almost universally admitted and de
plored, and the rest of the State frou'
the danger OF q terrible and fatal con-
tagion. Indeed. the disease has al
ready spread and is spreading, until
now no art of the State is entirel,
exempt from its malignant poison.
Mr.. j ,ceson speaks with astonish
iny frankness on this subject, and
there is no. reason why The Sun
should be restrained by any greater
reticence. THE S M therefore, will
not hesitate to speak plainly and
frankly upon subject that interests
the peopla OF the Safe and concerns
good morals and good citizenship. 1t
is not too much to say that in his in-
terview in. ."Thes Sun" Mr.. Jackson
has shocked the moral sense of the en-
tire S ate and has put himself in an
attitude SO extraordinary as to excite
the Indignation Of call selfrespecting
citiz ,ns. The position he has assumed,
the tone of his utterance., as we'll as
the utterances themselves. are almos'
unprecedented on the part Of publ G
man. The only parallel we. can recall
at tie moment in the wayaof defiance
and indifference to public opinion is
Boss Tweed's cynical and insolent,
Nv hat are you going to do adout it?'
and Vandefbilt's, Tue public BEL"
We have had, and have now, many
men in public life who have practiced
bad or questionable methods, but there
have been and are few who do not have
the grace to join in tho public con-
demnation OF political corruption and
to at least assume virtue if they have
it not. 1t is rare indeed, even in this
country, that public man will treai
as jest or as matter of indifference
and no consequence such conditions az
prevail in the First district, ,vho will
admit that be or his friends have help
ed to thwart the will of the electorate
or " ho will not blush at his acts and
the acts attending his election. A
man with delicate sense Of honor, Of
high ideals of ci,iz"nship, would not
want an office procured in this way
But Mr.. jackson apparently has no
such political scruples. Either he j.
absolutely lacking in a realization Of
the gravity of this offepse or he is in.
d ffrrent to public opinion. In either
case, it may be asked whether he is
fitted to represent this State in Con-
gress or to hold high Office. A few
years ago gentleman in the West
who had certificate OF election to
Congress declined the office when be
learned that his election had been &C.
complished by improper methods
This is precedent for Mr.. Jackson's
serious consideration.
OF all the astonishing things that
Mr.. J .ckson said to 1.-The Sun" re-
porter, not the least astonishing is his
remark. "What | spend is nobody's
business" When his attention was
called to reports that be spent large
sums in his election, the Congressman
elect replied: well, they don't know
anything about it. Neither do you,
and what is more, you are not going
to know. 1t costs money to be elect
ed down there, and that is no mistake.
l spent considerable money, and 30
did the other fellow. However, they
can't prove that bought a solitary
vote. so what spent is nobody's bus
ines. but my own"
The idea that it is nobody's business
but bis own. mere private matter
how much money a candidate employs
in his campaign on certain lines seems
to be entirely original with the Con
gresham elect. 1t has been the bus
mess Of the Legislature in many
S ates to limit the amount by law.
That it is nobody's business how much
money is spent in psrverting the pop
uIar will, in destroying self govern
ment and the rule of the majority, is
so extraordinary as almost to take
ones breath with astonishment.
When asked by the reporter wheth-
er he considers vote. buying legitimate,
be admitted that he does not, and add