The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-07-10
HOW THEY ARE EXECUTED.

HOW THEY ARE EXECUTED.
t''I -
A little inquiry into the actual opera
tion of the notorious Deputy Marshal
laws will aid people TO Judge more aCcu
rately as to their character We will
waive for moment the discussion of
the unconstiutionality of these election
statutes and take glance at their prac-
tical workings when they have been put
in execution. There are antagonistic
theories touching these laws, which we
will drop for the present while we at.
tempt to arrive at theory concerning
them by the inductive process. How
have they worked ? 1t is the Republican
claim that to put the elections in all the
States in the hands of men = Republi
cans-selected by the Executive Depart
ment of the Government at Washington
would secure more fir and honest cleo
tions than to leave them in the hands of
the local or State authorities where the
Constitution left them and where the
laws left them for fourscore years. 1t
is the Republican theory that Republi-
can manipulators of elections chosen
from Washington are certain to be hon
est and that the officers oil the States are
certain not to be. It is the Republican
position that the elections should be
taken out of the hands of the State and
local authorities and placed in the hands
of agents of the Washington Govern
ment, on account Of the superior integri
ty of the latter. The argument must be
that there is something in the nature of
Federal employment under Republican
auspices that inevitably imparts homes
ty; otherwise it might properly be asked
WHO shall "guard and scrutiniz9" the
Deputy MarshalsP ? What do the facts
showP How much do, or may, the
Deputy Marshals cost the country ?
How is the money expended? What
class of men are employed to secure
honest elections2 How do they use the
power intrusted to themP In 1875 the
amount expended for election services
of Deputy Marshals and Supervis ors was
$275 ,296.60. Of this sum only $44 TIA go
were expended in the Northern States,
In 1878 the expenditure for similar ser.
vice was $202,091,09, only "a 639 of
which sum having been expended in
the South, while $ll7652 we're expend.
ed in six Northern States. There WAS
no limit upon the number OF Deputy
Marshals that could be appointed, and
million of dollars might have been
used as easily as a quarter of million.
If under the laws as they stand-the ap.
preparation for Marshsls having failed
there is any authority to appoint these
Marshals and contract for their pay
ment, the authority is still without limit
as to number, and one or two millions
may be promised, which is large sum
to use in one election. In the city Of
New York, in 1875, about one hundred
thousand dollars were expended in this
manner, we shall presently see for what
purpose.
One instance of the workings of these
statutes might we'll answer for all. There
is no difference in kind; the operations
only differ in detail. We will take an IL
lustration from St. Louis in 1879 In the
contested election case of Frost vs.. Met.
calfs it was proved that L. T. Allen was
appointed Chief Supervisor for the city
Of St. Louis. He testified that there was
no occasion for the appointment of Dep
uty Marshals at that election, as the
elections in that city had always been
peaceful and fair. The United States
Marshal for that District, Mr.. Letting
well, was Of the same opinion, and re
fused to appoint special deputies. A
Mr.. Barnard, y National Bank Exami.
ner, who had secured for Mr.. Letting.
we'll his place, went to that gentleman
and threatened him with removal If he
did not appoint the Marshals. The
spirit in which be executed the law can
be gathered from his own testimony;
O. Was there anv more necessity
for the appointment of marshals for that
election than for any previous election
A, Oh, well, you gentlemen know very
well that IN GpottcaI struggle for party
dscendGncy Il is nec ssnry for The co ord,
nate branches of The Government to be in ac
cord, and there was an effort on the part,
SO 1 interpreted it, of the party which |
acted with to gain control of the House
Of Representatives"
| For this purpose one thousand and
twenty. eight Deputy Marshals were ap
pointed to elect three Republicans tc
Congress. It is the uncontradicted test.
imony that numerouF Democrats were
made Deputy Marshlls on condition
that they should vote for the Republican
candidates. One of the Deputy Marshalt
testified that he was appointed eight
| days.. before the election, with instruc.