The Washington herald., 1909-10-10

turned for Boston or does not put the
value Of seat in the House OF Commons
at the figure at which II is usually as
sessed. or course, votes and seats are no
longer bought and sold in the good old
way. Probably in no country in the
world are the laws against bribery and
corruption more strict or more rigidly en-
forced than in this. A parliamentary can
didate and his agents and canvassers
must keep an Argus watch on every
penny they spend. The purchase OF one
small pint Of beer may mean ruin TO
hire a carriage or automobile to convey
the Independent voter to the poll would
mean the loss Of the seat
Many Buy Their Seats.
1t is all beautifully pure. and none
doubts that only an Insignificant per-
centage Of the SO gentlemen who make
up his majesty's commons have IN the
slightest way broken or even bent the
stringent laws against bribery and cor
ruption. All the same, the great ma
iority OF them have bought their seats
and keep on paying for them IN good
hard cash. Nursing a constituency is
only another way Of buying 1t.
A few weeks ego Sir George Ketsewlch,
NJ P. for Exeter. complained that what
a great many constituencies seemed 70
require was not so much representative
as a relieving officer
1T is not only charities" Grumbled a
Conservative candidate the other day
but am expected to support every kind
OF social OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES and
cricket clubs, smoking concerts. swim
ming matches, dances for the young. and
dinners for the aged.
Il have a shrewd suspicion that some
Of the associations for this. that. and
the other which demand subscriptions
are simply got up for the purpose OF
Matchmaking me- II FIVE individuals ask
for a sovereign each and I give II TO
them. both they and I are liable 10 be
prosecuted and punished. But II those
five individuals form a society and ex-
tort from me subscription Of 60. no
Illegal act is committed
ION the average, says an election
agent. "a candidate is required to spend
500 a year. But many members after
they have been elected are obliged II
they want TO keep their seats to dis
tribute twice or thrice that amount"
Base Hopes on Money.
A writer in the current number OF the
Fortnightly takes up tho same question.
He declares that the Conservatives are
the greatest offenders and urges them 10
mend their ways A Conservative HIM
self. he saws the Conservatives believe
in money, the Liberals believe in brains"
He. too. assesses the average cost OF a
seat at 500 year. and urges that those
who can and will give the money are few.
and mot OF a kind 10 increase the ef-
hclency Of the Conservative party IN the
House" He cites one county where all
the divisions are perfectly safe Conserva-
tive seats but in none OF them viii the
Conservative Association even consider
the name Of a candidate who Will not
pledge himself 20 spend $1,000 year"
So FAR from merely railing at the power
Of money in the Conservative party, the
writer deplores the fact that the Con-
servatives VIII not use their enormous
money power in a scientific manner. The
present system o. selecting animated
as candidates" does not bring
OF the "untapped talent
in the Tory party into the House. as
Is proved by "the enormous dlsproportion
between the Conservative intellect IN the
country and IN tho House OF Commons"
He writes:
Il do not think that a Radical would
deny that three-fourths OF the educated
OF the nation are ConseTva-
tive. Take the squires. lawyers. clergy
men, doctors, engineers. merchants. finan- |
ciers. authors. artists. journalists, profess /
sors, and men OF science-win any one |
deny that 20 per cent of these people are /
Less than a fourth OF the 4
present House OF Commons IS Conserva-
tive, and OF that fourth il is doubtful II |
10 per cent can be ascribed as men OF |
real political ability"
Would Provide Fund.
His plan for the political regeneration |
Of his country Is a simple one. Conserva- |
tives are rich. Let every man and woman |
OF them with $1,000 year subscribe s1, |
those with $500 a year 70 shlllings. and |
those with $50 year shillings. and "a !
central political fund OF E1.OO0,OoO would /
be put UP. which would allow OF RL500 |
being spent in COO constituencies beyond 4
and apart from the candidates expeudi- /
ture." Such an income. properly admin |
istered, would sweep the board"
Il is admitted that there would, OF 1
course, be some difficulty in avoiding the /
corrupt practices act by keeping the ex-
penditure apart from and unconnected /
with the candidate or the Conservative /
Association" But this could be over /
come. Then 800 constituencies could be /
bought at the price OF s1.O0O.000 sterling /
per annum, rather more than they cost |
now, but they would be represented by l
500 intelligent Conservatives, and every /
thing would remain pure and uncorrupt /
as Il Is to-day.