Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-28
The English Elections
VII-The House of Commons
Bv Frederic j. Haskin

Joseph Chamberlain, being unopposed
WAS elected the first member of the
new parliament which will sit on Feb
ruary 10.
But if there is more than one candi-
date the sheriff asks for a show of
hands, and then the candidates de-
mand a poll. The poll is ordered for
the day previously agreed upon and
announced. Within one hour after the
nominations the candidates must de-
post with the sheriff a sum, varying
from $500 to $4,000, according to the
size of the constituency, to secure
the payment of the expenses of hold
ing the election. All the expenses must
be paid by the candidates on a bill
presented by the sheriff or other re-
turning officer. On the day these
nominations are made the political
party committees suspend activities
and by formal resolution declare them
selves nonresident. After the cleo
ton they are reorganized.
But the successful candidates seat
is not assured. He is elected and
may take his seat, but if every provi-
sion of the corrupt practices act has
not been met, then petition may be
started wherein number of cleo
tors may allege violations of the act.
II the allegations are substantiated,
the meTaber is unseated and is rem
dered incapable of holding any office
for the term of seven years, and he
may be further fined or punished
The corrupt practices act limits the
amount of money candidate may
spend in his campaign, limits specifi-
cally the things for which this money
may be spent, and makes the candi-
date responsible not only for his own
acts. but for those of his agents and
supporters. Each candidate under the
law is required to appoint an election
agent, and all campaign expenses must
be paid through this agency. Expenses
may range from $1750 to $4,000. accord
ing to the population and area of the
constituency.
All claims for election expenses must
be submitted to the candidate within
fourteen days after the election, all
such claims as allowed by court must
be paid within twenty-eight days, and
full and complete public returns must
be made within thirty-five days. The
failure to meet any of these require
ments makes the election void. The
candidate is responsible for his duly
appointed agent and for all other sup
portors who may be working in his
behalf as bona fide agents, whether
with or without the knowledge OF the
candidate.
Any bribery by any agent voids the
election, and bribery is defined as the
giving or promising to give, whether
the promise is kept or broken, of any
money or anything worth money or
any treat of food or drink, or any en-
ployment or promise of employment,
or any pay for loss of time while vot-
ing. Thus a supporter of a candidate
may, without the candidates knowi-
edge and against his express orders,
treat another man to a glas of beer
in exchange for a vote. That act
would void the election and unseat the
member. Employers are prohibited,
under heavy penalties, from influence
ing the votes of their employees, and
the beneficiary of such undue Influence
loses his seat.
This law of course, is not obeyed
in the letter. but it is a constant re-
minder to candidates and their agents
to be very, very careful. The law pro-
hibits the hiring of bands of music.
and therefore English political speak
ings are without the inspiration of
brass music. The law prohibits the
purchase or giving away of badges or
distinction. An enthusiastic party
man at a recent election printed, at
his own expense, some cards to be worn
in hats, bearing the name of the party
CaQQluhlG lOI lllC ca
pense altogether was ten dollars and
the candidate knew nothing about it.
But the law had been broken in his
behalf, and he lost his seat in parlia-
ment.
Election expenses incurred by the
party for party purposes, and not in
the interest of any particular candi-
date. do not come under the law. A
great deal of money is spent in this
Wav, and there is some corruption. A
district may be flooded with free beer
and free coal, as is often done in Lon
don, by Charitable organizations with
political intent.
The result of all this machinery is
that the house of commons is elected
bv a system so nearly free from cor
r1ption that no faint lies on the title
of the house to represent the will OF
the electors Cumbersome as it is. 1t
is a. far better election system than
any other that has been devised for
the maintenance of the purity and
dignity of the BALLOT. The house Of
commons comes to London as the voice
of the people.
Tornorrow-The English Elections:
VIII-The Tariff Reform Issue