The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1917-01-05
Mr.. RaIston Suggests Remedies for
Political Corruption.

10 the Editor OF the Prince georges
Enquirer:-
l have so far endeavored to point
out, though only in very general way,
something of the methods of political
corruption existing in our Maryland
elections. The work is necessary, how
ever, before discussing any remedies
and this same necessity compels one %
give some attention to our primaries.
The direct primary was hailed as
great advance over the caucus aud IN
vention system. With all its impel fec
tons and corruption, it is undoubtedly
an advance. Any system which broad
ems the electoral contest, changes 1t
from one over precinct and election
district to one over an entire county,
or from counties to state, makes It,
more difficult for concentrated
chicanery and corruption to triumph
over the general will of the respective
parties. Furthermore. direct primaries
are yet in their in fancy. We have now
new form of action but have not for
gotten our old habits. Our voters
largely continue to lock to leaders for
direction. Their point of view is slow
ly changing, but the careful observer is
bound to believe tb at it is changing, and
the individual voter is becoming more
independent of direction and control.
IF an arm has been held in plaster
cast for a considerable length of time,
we can understand that it is only slow
ly and painfully accustomed to freedom
of action. So with the end sought by
the direct primary. 1t will not. be
achieved at one bound Moreover, as
we shall see on further consideration,
many fundamental reforms must be
worked out before direct primaries can
come into their own
Primaries are today more corrupt
than general elections. The system of
furnishing official ballots before cleo
ton to who ever might ask, which pre-
vailed in the counties prior to the last
primary election, made the results Of
vote buying absolutely assured and in
cidentallY, through accustomlng voters
to use of money, had very serious eff
feet on our general elections.
Again for special reasons corruption
is much more possible and effective at
primaries that at the polls. Men not
integral parts of the machine are often
more Indifferent as to those for whom
they vote at the primaries than they are
in choosing between the candidates of
their own party and party with which
they have no sympathy. Being less
interested they are more willing to &C
cept money. Besides there is usually
no skillfuily organized opposition in
tent upon seeing that the laws are OBJ
served, at least in form.
Men may rarely hope to be nominated
for Office under direct primaries and the
same was true before they were institut-
ed-save with the approval of the par
ty machine and ii so nominated as
rule, can scarcely hope for election.
The aspirant for Office having obtained
the support of party leaders, the word
is passed down the line to support him,
and he is nominated and may be elect
ed His first obligation is then not to
the whole people, not even to the
party at large, but to those who made
his nomination possible. Gratitude and
a lively sense of favors to come made
him a reliable agent for the party
managers Candidates with whom the
machine is not sympathetic have to fear
working arrangements against them be-
tween the two machines, which hate
interlopers worse than they hate their
ostensble party enemies.
In practice the nominee is expected
to contribute literally to the organiza-
ton to obtain his nomination. This
trcikles down to the party workers who,
as disciplined force, are usually abe
TO overcome all opposition.
Having all too briefly indicated some
of the defects end shortcomings of our
present system of controlling primaries
and elections let US consider some
changes in the laws directly relating
to corrupt practices which must be &C
cOmplished even before we touch the
wider questions which make it profit
able and easy to hoodwink the people
into the belief that they have popular
government while their power is being
filched away from them. No good rea-
son can be given for the making of any
contribution to the party management
to insure nomination and strict laws
prohibiting such contributions shOgld
be passed. No paid watchers or mes
sengers or employment under any pre-
text whatsoever, should be permitted
at the primary, for any danger of wrong
full counting or returning is today
practically nil. Voluntary watchers,
if needed, can be readily OBJ aimed.
| do not mean to say that a candidate
should be refused the opportunity of
himself addressing communications thr-
ough the mails or newspapers to thos
whom he is DESTROYS of serving, uoti-
flying them of his ambition, bat the en-
plOyment of others for this purpose on
any pretext, either at primary or gen
eral elections leaves wide open the door
for electoral corruption. This fact has
been fully recognized and the evl.
CORE cted by the laws of several of Il
States of the Union to which fuller
reference remains to be made.
There still remain CERTAIN necessary
expenses incident to elections and the /
payment of which may be allowed to be
made through party organization.
Paid challengers may be permitted at
general elections but if allowed they