The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-10-24
AN EXTENSIVE ELECTION.

4ll6 thO CldlIIIl6u OL the lOCdl pO- litical organizations have sworn before the necessary legal officials that they expended the sum of $9,1S1.63 to finance the recent local election. There can, easily be added to this amount S3,00O more which was expended in- dependently by different candidates for office, so that it is fair to say that the recent local election in the city of New Haven cost in the neighborhood of s12,OOO, about half what it should cost to legitimately carry the State un- der a proper understanding of free government.
 That the expenditure of money did not determine the result is shown by the difference in expenditure by the two chairmen. The Republicans spent nearly $6,500 while the Democrats let go practically s2,75O. or considerably less than half. If money was required to settle the contest the Republicans should have won hands down, while as a matter of history they were beaten out of their boots. What use then was all of this money in excess of that en- ljoyed by the Democrats? If 1t was | lused to add to the number of workers at the polls the expenditure represents that much thrown away It does not appear that even the hiring of voters for the purpose of buying f1oaters was successful If 1t was used to get the lvote out, 1t must have been used to carry rebels to the polls and not loyal supporters. If 1t was used to send bal- lots and pastors to every voter in the city then the money was used to hoist the Republicans with their own lpetard. From whatever point of view the election is studied as determined by the use of the large sum at the dis posal of the defeated party 1t could have done just as well with single Thousand.
 Judged by the standard set up by the Republican fund the Democrats were as poor as church mice. They were not able to hire as many work ers, if that is the way the money was Ispent, nor were they in possession of as many conveyances to bring the sick, inflrm and indifferent to the voting places. A good share of their
 money must have been used in mail ling ballots to the voters. In other
 words, if the Democrats had possessed a larger campaign fund than their DO. llitical enemies had 1t would be possible
 to charge that corruption in one form
 Tor another carried the day. As it ii there is nothing more convincing tC say than that money played no part il
 the transaction and that therefore th' continued use of it in campaign must be defended upon some nev ground. We commend these facts t. those, who, having given liberally t lthe party collectors and who, as busi lness men usually want to know tn
 returns given from 8 stated expendi
 ture, may have something to say of tn manner in which their party fealt was played upon, not malieiously bu because the word of campaigner re :. garding the use of money at the poll , Is not worth the paper 1t is write
 upon.
 The corrupt practices commissio recommended among other thingi :. first that the number of paid worker
 at the polls should be limited to tn
 vote to be gotten out. This was :. avoid vote buying. Second that cand dates for office should contribute onl
 stated per cent. of the proposed sa
 ary to the party fund, This was = make it possible for anyone to run fc
 office without the danger of being dc
 frauded of his money in excess of wht
 was fair. Third, a limitation was S, = upon the use of conveyances wit which to carry the sick and infirm ' the polls. This was to restrict a
 abuse which has grown with increase
 party contributions If all of the' 't recommendations had been acceptt It by the judiciary committee and mac
 a part of the law much of the mon'
 expended this year by the polite
 parties would have been saved ar 4 put to better use. There would, to 10 have been to-day better taste in u d. mouth of the electorate.