The morning journal-courier., 1908-12-10
THE ELECTION COURT,

lHb ADhMtIluN NUbNts
 It is important that the papers, which were served yesterday on Gov ernor-elect Iilley, under orders of the superior court, should be understood by the voters of Connecticut, They do not mean that prosecution has been be- gun against that gentleman or that his political enemies have entered upon campaign of persecution, They do mean, as we interpret them, that an investigation Is to be made ot certain statements and alleged acts In order that 1t may be determined beyond a peradventure that the laws of the state have not been violated
 The object of the corrupt practices law Is to protect the electorate against practices of an evil nature which have crept into American politics and which all good citizens must deplore, Unless the Connecticut law Is to be arbitrarily suspended, 1t should be freely used, whenever the circumstances appear to warrant it's use, to teach the danger of corrupt political practices, on the one hand, and, on the other, to permit the courts to interpret it's actual authority in order that If the law is defective way may be opened for Its amend ment. There can be no objection on the part of any citizen who holds the honor Of his state higher than his par tisan zeal, to q rigid accountability for every political act committed in the course Of a campaign
 It would appear from the surface n- dieatlons that Judge Bennett has been convinced by the petitioner that he has in his possession evidence sufficient to warrant an investigation of tho recent campaign. Whether he actually has or not can only be determined by an in- vestigation as provided for In the cor rupt practices act. II may be that this ] evidence is not of a character 10 shock the sensibilities of the average man, but lt should be remembered that if 1t l exists at all 1t involves the honor and political integrity of Connecticut It is well known fact that political methods have prevailed in this state for many years which are contrary to sound ethics and decent morals, and 1t was in order to be rid of them that the prevailing law was enacted It may be personally annoying 10 Gov ernor-elect Ltlley and tho others mcn- | toned in tho summons to he thus brought Into court, but f they arc iu- nocent of the alleged acts of lawless- ness, the investigation will leave them stronger that ever in public esteem,
 As for MT, Fox, the petitioner, hc deserves commendation for periodically facing harsh criticism and possibly coarse epithets in order that he may have it judclally determined whether slanderous tongues have injured inno- cent people, and whether under any circumstances the law is worth the paper 1t Is written on, He is rcsponsi- ble for the first election court to be held in this country and upon its out come, whatever it may be, hang con sequences of far reaching importance, for 1t will at once be made clear what and just what the legislatures and con gross can do to enforce laws for the protection of the ballot box. In other words, 1t would appear that ConnecH- cut is given the opportunity now to as
 certain whether the stories of lawless
 ness, which have been in circulation. are true or false, which it must be the desire Of all concerned to have deter- mined. Connecticut cannot permit her. self to rest under the imputation that her political honors go to the highest bidder, and we shall rejoice if Mr. Fox by his investigation shows that there is no foundation for this too wide spread belief,