Middletown transcript., 1911-04-22
OUR CORRUPT ELECTIONS

OUR CORRUPT ELECIlONS
Every student of internationa
politics knows how far England
is in advance of US in the matter
of honest elections; how far, also
the great capitals of Europe are
ahead of US in municipal econo
my and efficiency.
Hon. Andrew White, for year:
our Minister to Germany-thar
whom there is noabler and fairel
critic-used to say we were l0(
years behind Europe in the gov
ernment of our cities.
Equally in Berlin, in Copen|
hagen, in London or in Tokyo
municipal peculation-graft-if il
almost unknown; while with US
1t is the rule, and an honest adI
ministration of city affairs, the
rare exception! This is a fright
full indictment of our American
cities and of our American citi-
senship-most frightful because
true.
All our great cities are given
over to shameless wholesale rob
berries and graft in a 1000 forms
the whole city, in every depart,
ment, a prey to organized free
hooters as absolutely as if Cap
tain Kidd's buccaneers, were in
possession or another ruthless
Golden Horde had swarmed over
the land to levy its brutal tribute
upon the citizens.
The Tamerlsne bosses of our
cities, owning the whole machin-
cry of government, everything
from the venal Judge to the thug
ging policeman-the purse, the
robe, the sword-are despotic
masters to work their own sweet
Nills-and this we call municipal
government.
These corrupt usurpations are
non.partisan; indeed, often in
their most vicious exhibition, BIZ
partisan, with but one principle
-plunder. Thus Tammany,
which for 25 years has despoiled
New York City, is Democratic;
while the equally vile boss rule
of Philadelphia which has made
that city to stink in the nostrils
of decent citizens everywhere, is
Republican.
Two things have made these
evils possible. First, the bane-
full spirit of partisanship in our
national politics-one of the many
curses flowing from the Civil
War-carried into local and mum
icipal affairs. The second cause
and the one that perpetuates the
evil, even when the outraged
citizens have been at last goaded
out of their civic sloth into at
tempting reforms-is the cor
rupt use of money in elections.
The ease and safety with which
the elective franchise is every
where prostituted in our land, is
a disgrace that should make
every American blush!
In it's issue of Wednesday, the
EUeg,g E0entng commenting on the
severity Of the Corrupt Practices
Act in England, says: ''election
results are absolutely free from
even the suspicion of an illegal
use of money" After citing in
stances where for so triAing a
cause as too many free carriages
for voters, an election was set
aside, it concludes as follows
"We could have the same kind ofa
Corrupt Practices act in this country,
national and State, if political parties
were honest enough to enact them in
Congress and Legislatures and the
courts would enforce them rigidly.
And We could secure these enact.
ments by healthy and determined
expression of public sentiment. When
the people resolutely demand abso.
lutely honest elections in this coun-
try We will have them. And there
are indications that this demand
will not long be withheld"
This is right nobly conceived.
It is our reproach in Delaware |
that hitherto both political par
ties and the legislatures chosen
by them, have been unwilling to
have elections made as pure here |
as in England.
But the fat Of the people, who,
thank God, are yet pure at the |
core, has gone forth that the vile
old order must yield to the new
and better way.
WHY NOT A BROOM PACTORYS
Building Boom for Hamburg
"Hamburg, Pa, April IA.
This f1Iaca will enioy an exceptional