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Show SHOW THE ACCOUNTS. Mr. William M. Ivlns of New York, lately Republican candidate for Mayor of the metropolis, takes occasion to demand de-mand a reform In the method of accepting ac-cepting and disbursing campaign moneys. mon-eys. He asks that every candidate for office, every' political organization and committee shall keep accurate account of all contributions and from whom received, re-ceived, and all disbursements and to whom made, and that these statements shall be made public for the enllghten-menl enllghten-menl of voters. The gentleman has selected a most fortunate hour foi his suggestion of reform. re-form. Had there been law for such methods in the past some of the proudest proud-est among the politicians and financiers of Now York would not be now engulfed en-gulfed In Phame by the exposure of Illegal Il-legal and criminal misappropriation of money from corporations to political funds. And there would not havo been the wholesale corruption which has characterized elections, not only In New York, but elsewhere in th country. Elections are a part of the business of the whole people and therefore the suggestion sug-gestion or demand of Mr Ivlns Is Just and there can be no legitimate objection to a general law, both for the Nation and In each State, which shall require publicity of all facts of Importance pertaining per-taining to campaign operations. T'nder such laws, rigidly administered, no man can buy an election, the rich and poor candidates will stand upon equal terms, according to personal merit; and the voter who has so little manhood as to sell his ballot would find that part of his occupation gone. It Is true that such laws, like others might be evaded occasionally, but It would be rarely that any man, seeking the suffrages of his fellow citizens, would dare to take chances on criminal prosecution and the ruin of his reputation reputa-tion by falling to make an honest showing show-ing of his expenditures. And no committee com-mittee or political organization, which expected to retain public confidence, would receive and disburse secret funds outside of the statement which would have to be made public All together, the plan proposed by Mr Ivlns is direct, sensible and Just. If carried out Its effects would not only he Visible in the purifying of elections, but would lie shown In the conduct of the public officials after election. The experience ex-perience of New York has been that administrations ad-ministrations under Tammany, coming Into power by means of boodle, recoup all expense by means of contracts let to favorites at the public charge. The same experience was had In Philadelphia Philadel-phia under the Republican boss rule there And only In a lesser degree this has been the common fact In many other oth-er less Important municipalities of the country. Keep the elections pure and the public service is likely to be honest. Reformers Reform-ers may hope for a distinct advance If the demand of Mr. Ivlns shall he embodied em-bodied into general law. |