The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1907-03-07
DR.. NJ. I. PEBBLES, the Sage of Buffalo, Sug
gests Plan to Purify Elections.


An act to restore and preserve to the
people of Tennessee in its original pu-
rity and vigor the elective franchise
and prevent corrupt practices in cleo
tions
Section 1. Be it enacted BY the gen.
eral assembly of the state of Tennessee,
from and after the passage Of this act,
it shall not be awful for any citizen of
this state to purchase or offer to pur-
chase the vote of any other citizen, by
himself or another person, in any cleo
ton by the people. And any person 80
offending, when convicted by any court
of competent jurisdiction, shall be
deemed guilty of misdemeanor and
fined not less than one hundred nor
more than three hundred dollars and
confined at hard labor in the peniten-
tiary for a period of not less than two
nor more than five years.
Sec. 2. Any citizen who sells or offers
to sell his vote to any candidate or 9TH
or person for any candidate shall be
fined on conviction in the sum of not
less than fifty nor more than three
hundred dollars and confined at hard
labor in the penitentiary not less than
one year nor more than three years.
Sec. 8. Any two or more citizens of
this state who shall enter into an agree
ment or conspiracy to swap or barter
away their own votes or the votes Of
Others for cash, or the promise of office
or any other valuable consideration,
shall be guilty of q misdemeanor in
trading away the elective franchise
which they do not own in the form Of
private property, and on conviction
shall be fined not less than three hun
dred nor more than six hundred dollars
and confined at hard labor in the peni-
Tertiary not less than two nor more
than four years and shall be Ineligible
to hold any Office Of honor or profit in
the state.
Sec 4. All fines and forfeitures I'M
der this act shall go one.half to the
school fund and the other half to the
informant.
Sec. s. This statute shall apply to all
elections that may be hereafter held in
this state, including all primary and
nominating elections to any office with
in the gift OF the electorate.
Sec 6. All circuit court judges of
this state shall give this statute in
charge to the grand juries empanneled
by them, and the said grand juries
shall have and exercise inquisitorial
power with compulsory process to sum-
mon witnesses and compel their attend
snce and send for persons aud papers.
Sec Z. Every officer, judge, clerk or
other person appointed by law to hold
IN election in this state who shall will
fully ard deliberately make out false
return OF votes or PAD or Otherwise alter
the poll books for fraudulent purposes
shall be guilty of o felony and ON con-
viction shall be confined at hard labor
in the penitentiary for period of not
less than ten nor more than fifteen
years.
Ever since little band of patriots,
flashed with victory over a fallen foe
and mad with an insane desire to grind.
them into powder, met in Nashville
forty years ago and elected themselves
as legislators, usurped the sovereignty
of the people and tossed the elective
franchise down among bootblacks, we
have had more or less men in Tennes-
zee trading IN votes as if it was private
property. Are we determined that this
dishonest practice shall go on iorever9