Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-08-20
FRIDAY, AUGUST 20. 1870.
G;,sS'as'02 Gvsu,as ?ss,s;a.y zsstz 138O1
What Are We to Expect?

What Are We to Expect?
We believe the best sentiment OF the
community will be grieved and disap-
pointed at the equivocd reply of MIR.
Charles Warner, chairman OF the Re-
publican State Committee, to the righteous
request rendered him by Mr.. Henry
Isaacs. chairman of the Democratic State
Committee. in respect of a formal agree
ment to array themselves and their re-
spective committees against the horrid
and demoralizing crime of ballot de-
bauchery at the November election. For
we are convinced that the best sentiment
of our State is outraged by the long prev
alence of this evil, and would be re-
ioiced at positive promise Of its elimina-
ton.
The proposition by Chairman lsaacs
was plain in statement and unmistakabie
as to purpose. 1t was THAT we will
individually use all our effort and IN
huence to effect the full cooperation of
the organizations represented by US, and
of all subordinate or subsidiary organiza-
tions. and to resort to every measure which
may reas onably prevent the circumvention
of this agreement by any individual asso-
ciation or organization" Also. "that the
Corrupt Practices act of 1917, regulating
nomination and election expenses. shall
be complied with to the letter"
We cannot conceive how any fairmind-
cd citizen, especially one who detests the
abominable and degrading offence OF
election prostitution by the corrupt use OF
money, can see in such proposition any
thing but sincere and righteous purpose
to have the next election conducted on the
high plane of honest and lawful voting,
uncontaminated by vile corruption. We
cannot understand why any man occu-
pying the position of presiding head of
political organization should not subscribe
to such proposition. promptly. cheerfuliy
and with open purpose.
But Chairman Warner has not adopted
this open and satisfying course. Ignoring
the moral effect that such joint agree
ment would carry throughout the State.
he sets down the buying and selling OF
votes as criminal act that should COM
mand the official attention of the United
States district attorney and the attorney
general of the State. The truth of this
assertion cannot be doubted. But Mr..
Warner, either as a citizen or as chairman
of the Republican State Committee, was
not asked to look upon the matter from
severely legal point of view. but from
high moral plane. that of doing whatever
a man in his position as the head OF
political organization might do towards
directing all the agencies of that political
organization in channels that would lead
away from the slough Of corruption and
free the election from all danger Of the
contagion That such an agreementb by the
leaders of the two principal political
organizations in this State would have a
great moral effect, and of itself tend to
make degraded corruptionists doubtful
about the expediency of attempting to
pursue their vile practices is not to be |
doubted.
But Mr.. Warner is not willing to take I
this step. Instead, he wrote to Chairman /
Isaacs: eve, ss chairmen and law-abiding
citizens. should report TO the prosecuting
officers any violations within our knowl- |
edge. 1t seems to me the agreement you
propose is nothing more than promise on
our part to the public that we will do no
criminal act and permit none TO be done
during the coming months if we can pos
Rihly avoid it."
But why not join In such a promise,
which undoubtedly would carry great
weight. by reason of the official positions
held by these two party organization
leaders,? Even such q promise on their
part would be most assurng-probably
largely protective.
Such promise, of itself, at past cleo
lions, might have been productive of
good results. 1t might have prevented the
awful debsuchery of the election of 1904,
1ue to corruption fund of s53, 900 raised
q this city on the Saturday before the
election and expended in buying votes in
Kent and Sussex counties at 'ten dollars
per head for white men and five dollars
per head for Negroes" as testified to by
worn witnesses before q subcommittee
II the United States Senate. 1t might
AVE prevented that contribution of
b3S, 600 by the Republican National
Committee on the eve Of the election two
'ears ago, immediately following the visit
lere of National Chairman Hays to 4look
'ver tho 6tuation." and which. according
o common report, was expended almost
ntirely in Sussex county n the most hor-
id aatai,nAlia of vote-buymg ever known
ven in that section of the State, 30 hard
ned to the despicable and degrading
'usiness of trafhcdng in votes