The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-10-04
THE WEEKLY JOURNAL. Issued Thursday. One Dollar n Yenr.
ENFORCE THE LAW.

ENFORCE THE LAW.
 Besides the important city issues involved in the mayoralty election next Monday, 1t is to be remembered that the corrupt practices law will have an- other trial. Every honest citizen should lend his aid to throttle the boodler and the debaucher of voters by drink. The saloon is the storm center and the danger point to be watched. The last city election in Hartford for mayor was one of the cleanest held there for many years, because of the hearty efforts of leading citizens of both parties, under the expert direc- tion of Professor McCook. No such eff, f1cient organization seems to be nossi- ble here, but we are glad to know that some friends of the law here are exerting themselves to see that 1t is enforced. The fight made by MT. Fox in the Homan case revealed the slime of ward politics in this city, and when 1t is remembered that the very man whose open confession of political de- bauchery of voters through the, rum shops shocked the moral sense of the community is again the Republican candidate for the responsible poslti m of town clerk, the need of keeping close watch of the polls goes wittout saving.
 The report that efficient aid will be obtained from the State police and that negotiations have been opened with the Pinkerton agency, we sim cerely hope is well grounded. But vol unteer aid from ordinary cit.Hers can render great service. Work'ngruen es- Tecially ought to be eager to detect and punish the guilty, for between the strikers and tne boodlers no man of moderate means can aspire to office, because it costs so much .n he elected. The rottenness of corrupt elections works as much harm az eust him as against any class of citizens, and if :ne workingmen wish to d b SD they can do much to detect and punish the crimes against the ballot box
 The amendments passed by the last legislature have strengthened the law, and all guilty candidates should be made to feel It's teeth. The law for punishing corrupt candidates in city elections is far more direct and ef- ficiept than in the case of State elec- tions, because in the former casa 1t is not hampered by constitutional re- strictions. In city election, when ar election court for the trial of caldt- date is set up, the law imposes on the two judges presiding over the court. if they believe the evidence conclu- sive of guilt the power to nullify the election, and keep the successful can. didate out of the office which he ha. obtained by corrupt means
 It is very much to be hoped thi. feature of the law can be tried IT connection with the approaching election, if there is any serious viola. ton of the law. As has been the cast fin England and Canada, such an cleo. tion trial, resulting in conviction, would wealth. The results of the Homal case last spring were very unsatisfac. tory. "Not proven, but dc not do i again" was the average verdict O the man on the street. Forewarned i forearmed. Let there be no miscar riage of justice again with regard t, the city election, because of lack o positive evidence. To secure such evi dence Is not an easy task, but 1t is al so not an impossible one, if all who de sire honest and clean elections will put their shoulders to the wheel ant help out. It is unfortunate that m such admirable organization as work ed in Hartford has been arranged fo here, but still few earnest men can d much to secure an impartial and eff fective enforcement of the law.