The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1910-12-31

CANVASS MADE
JUICY MELON
Cutting In Adams County
Brought Flood of Money
to Prop Up Poor Crops
Every Man Running for
Congress Bled By Both
of the Old Parties
Especial from United Press.)

West Union, O., Dec. 31.-Men
with senatorial ambitions. it develop
ed today, were the favorite prey of
the money mad politicians and vot-
ers Of Adams County, the latter OF
whom have been indicted to the num-
Der of nearly 1900 with more to fol-
sidered a juicy melon cutting in
Adams and usually brought flood
of money into the county.
Every man who ever ran for Con-
gress in the district in which Adams
County is located was bled by botl'
Democrats and Republicans. No Con-
gresham was able, by himself. to paw
the price, SO money was sent into
Adams County from the General Ma
tional Campaign Fund and from the
state campaign fund. The vote buy
ers and vote sellers of Adams County
had, in fact, four different sources OF
revenue-the national fund, the state
fund, the county fund and individual
candidates.
The withdrawal Of Congressman A.
r. Johnson from the race for re-
election during the last campaign fs
said to have been because Of his rea-
lization that the campaign would be
largely a doodle" race. He is de-
clared to have asserted openly that it
cost him between $4,000 and $4,000
to be elected the previous term. He
also was bled through representations
that money was needed for legitimate
campaign expenses.
1t was poverty that caused Adams
County to fall from civic grace, ac-
cording to Judge A. z. Blair, the man
who started the vote buying investi-
cation. In Adams County 1t has been
agricultural conditions. In sections
the soil is unyielding and in other
parts crops are poor. Ten dollars
represents a months hard work on a
farm. Therefore, $40 that could be
gotten through the mere marking Of
a ballot, was a wfndfall of fortune.
1t represented the result Of a months
hard work. garnered in a second.
But few men thus approached with
an offer of money were in a position
to decline. Ten dollars would buy
shoes for the family or a full outfit
for the wife. The charge that the
money was spent for whiskey is UNI
true.
A vote thus became an economic
commodity. Vote selling, however,
became such a profitable institution
that msny Of the Boys Of the county.
election day The competition be-
tween the two parties was SO keen
that the politicians paid the railroad
fare Of the returning native sons.
1HOS0 WHO came IIOH1 dldI 10 VOTE,
got special rates for their votes.
Seven former residents of Adams
County, who live in Cincinnati, came
home to vote on election day.. it IS
declared.
Sixteen thousand dollars was dis
tributed among the voters, big sum,
but the voter and vote sellers cited
the election Of 1887. That year has
become traditional in Adams County,
for about $4,000 was distributed and
one politician alone handled $4,000.
Cincinnati. Dec. 31.-"There is not
a more moral community in the state
Of Ohio, than Adams County" said
Charles Swane, of Cincinnati, who
formerly was in politics in the county
in which over 1000 vote sellers have
been indicted. There is merely a
double standard of morality in the
county-political morality and per-
sonal morality.
1.-THE juries Of Adams County can
not be corrupted and the county Of
f1cials are not grafters. The county
is generally honest. I know many
vote buyers in the county whom
would trust with my last cent. Adams
County was tempted because it is
poor"