The Jersey City news., 1906-05-08

Two of the Afareln pure elections bills
have become anws Govsrnor Stokes hay-
ing affixed his signature to them Thurs
day, says the Newark sBvassing News
Under che Grst Of the new statutes any
PRISON offering brfbe to inaueBce
voter. OF Who gives money TO any person
to be used for bribing voters. or any per-
son receiving a bribe to influence his
| vote, or employers who threaten or eo-
cree or in any way improperly influence
their employees TO vote. are one and all
punishable by disfranchisement for Eve
years. If the eGanse is committed a sec-
ond time the guilty party is subject to
disfranchissment and to fine of 81 COO
and imprisonment for Eve years.
tn esecend statute is supplementary TO
the first. 1t defines the crime of bribery
and prohibits the giving or agreeing TO
give any money or valuable thing to pro-
mote or procure the nomination or exec
tion of any candidate to 3 public office,
or to give or pay. wholly or in part, the
expense of giving or providing amy meat.
drink. entertainment or provision to or
for the purpose of influencing any person
to vote or refrain from voting. 1t for
bids the paying of rent or the fitting up
Of clubreoms or providing uniforms, and
it specifically proscribes payment for the
insertion in a newspaper or magazine of
any article to influence voters, except as
paid advertisement with the name of
the person paying for the same.
Under the second act any person found
guilty of any of the offerses described
shall be disfranehised fer two years for
the first offense and perpetually disfran-
ehised If convicted second time. with
the penalties for misdemeenors in addi-
ton. Witnesses called to testify under
this act are not liable TO criminal prose
cution. nor are they privileged to refuse
to answer any questions asked. on the
ground that such questions will tend to
degrade OF criminate them. These two
new laws do not repeal or alter any
former statutes Furnishing election off"
GERS, but are in addition to all the others.
Certainly these laws are drastic enough
if they can be enforced The crime of
bribery is committed in every county at
every election. In some counties it is
estimated that fully one+half the voters
are brfbed and vast sums of money, ag
gregating from $4,000 to $50, 900, are
known to be contributed for eorrupting
the suffrage. The weakness Of the laws
| hiterto enacted has been the impossible
a. saz&>x:.,.~ ~ a Sr;,,,x ~, asax, vnua for
the reason that both briber and bribed
were held equally guilty. The new law
gives immunity to the man who testiGes
in a case Of bribery, and 1T is hoped that
this provision may result In sending some
Of the corruptionists to Jail or disfran-
chising them for at least five years.
The March, act reduces the list of
what have hitherto been considered 'le-
climate election expenses. There are
TO be no more setting up of kegs of beer
at popular saloons, no more feeds no
more clubs uniformed at the candidates
expense, no more paying of rentals for
| alleged headquarters" of the John Doe
or Richard Roe clubs. All these were
species Of bribery, and the Mareli Law
characterizes them as such. 1t is most
opportune time for such laws to go into
effect. The new reform movement win
be fought desperately by all the means,
measures and methods known to ma
chine bosses, ward Workers, partisans
and corruptionists Of every degree
Money will be spent IN untold sums, un-
less the system Of years past is check
ed. 1t is to the interest OF every re-
former, every honest man, every man
of independent mind to indorse the new
election laws and to see that they are
enforced. Reform can only be beaten by