Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1910-06-03
FRIDAY. JUNE 8, 1910.
Contempt for Law.
[Enosburg Standard. J

More or less sentiment is being re-
f1ected through the state press that in
dictates determination on the part of
the papers supporting Lieutenant-Gov-
ernor Meade to create the impression
that the contest being waged against
his candidacy on account of violation OF
the law in the expenditure of money
incident to his campaign, is not sincere
and is for political effect only.
This idea is entirely misleading. Ac-
cumulative evidence supports the con-
tention that the public conscience, not
only in Vermont, but of the United
States. has been completely atrophed
upon the question of the corrupt use
of money. We are far behind a
great many countries in protecting the
purity of the ballot box.
Consider the action connected with
the unseating of Captain Frederick
Guest, Liberal member of the new
British House of Commons, as well as
that of Sir. Christopher Furnace, also
Liberal, showing how carefully the En-
glish law safeguards the election of
members to Pertinent.
The campaign recently closed was
one of the most intensely fought politi-
cal battles ever known in England, and
the result so uncertain that unquestion-
ably an honest effort would be made to
comply with the law. Yet these two
men, members of Pertinent, were de-
prived of their seats for what would be
considered in this country trivial vio-
lation The chief point against Cap
tain Guest was that his brother-in-law
hired eight automobiles that were used
in his behalf, and that the latter in so
doing was, in the eyes of the law, an
agent of Captain Guest. In the case of
Sir Christopher Furnace the same prin-
ciple was maintained, that while he,
himself, did not eXpend more money
than he swore to, yet other parties,
favoring his candidacy did spend money.
Consequently they were considered
agents and the amount expended by
them made the sum in the aggregate
more than was sworn to by the candi-
dates named.
When we consider that in this country
almost every day fresh instances of
purchasing positions by corrupting the
electorate are unearthed, the reflection
is not very reassuring to believers in
civic righteousness. At the present
time Senator Lorimer of Illinois is hav-
ing his right to seat in the United
States Senate attacked by indictments
of five members of the Legislature Of
that state who voted for him, and three
of these men have confessed to receiv-
ing money for their votes. We have
the grafters of Pittsburgh just SEN
fenced to prison, the cases of Senators
Aids and Conger of New York, and the
instances of the corrupt use of money
by numerous corporations, especially in
terests such as the sugar trust, and last
week developed another phase, wher
Ex-Governor Rollins of New Hamp-
shire was arrested on his arrival from
England at the port of New York
charged with smuggling. And what
did he smugge? Straw hat, silk ties,
silk muffler, shirtwaists, pictures, etc.
And the ex-governor attorney in
his plea for suspension of sentence,
justified his action by the statement
that this sort of thing is a general
practice" And the United States
judge agreed with him absolutely al
though the ex-governor was fined 81,
600. We do not apprehend that Cover
nor Rollins was anxious to save the
amount of money involved in the SNUG
Cling transaction because it was toe
trivial for a man of his wealth, he being
reputed muti-milllionaire but his ac-
ton is in harmony with the multiplicity
of instances that might be enumerated
that sustain the contention regarding
the supreme contempt for law by the
American people.
We have evidence of it in the present
campaign here in Vermont. Judge Glib
son of Brattleboro is advocating pri
maj y tlSSIiOii law " pSNNSi SolS guar
the rights and interests of the electors.
OF what avail will another law be wher
the existing statue is entirely ignored
in the present campaign, and no move
thus far made to stop this violation? This
situation is far worse than in 1902, as
corrupt practices connected with that
campaign were supposed to have been
made impossible by the present law.
But to all appearances, if the press
of Vermont reflects the sentiment OF
their constituencies, there has been al