The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1879-05-16
WHAT THEY WANT.
New York Tribunal


against the Federal election laws b cam.
paign OF false prctenses. No Democrat in
Congress believes that there II now or. un.
der any imaginable circumstances, ever can
be, the slightest danger Of interference by
the Executive with the freedom of the bal.
lot; NO one believes that II Ii In the power
Of the President, with the whole United
States Army ut his back, to intimidate" .
single American citizen In the exercise Of
the suffrage; no ono can even conceive Of .
state Of things In this country wherein mill
tary force could influence the result Of an
election, unless by insuring the overwhelm-
employ it. The cry Of "the bayonet at the
polls" whatever it may mean In countries
where the army is the instrument of ire
spOnsible power, can be nothing with us
but foolish and bombsstic figure
of speech. In those days when the Demo-
Buchanan in using troops to enforce the
laws in the Territory Of Kansas, Mr.. Pen.
dleton declared that the clamor about bayo.
nets at the polls was "the suggestion Of .
weak Imagination, and not the sober appre-
hension Of a manly Judgment" The plain
truth Is that American voters are not afraid
of soldiers, and American soldiers, who are
mostly voters themselves, are not the enc.
mics Of free election. There is not Dem
ocratic politician In Congress nor Demo.
cratic newspaper in the United States impu-
dent enough to assert that at the spectacle
of military guard near the polling places
supposing such grossly improbable sight
q single voter would be frightened into
changing or Withholding his vote. Are the
Democrats like truant boys, who run away
when they see policeman?
But however harmless the soldiers might
be in the neighborhood of the polls, the pos.
sibility Of their interference in elections
has been removed by the most stringent
statutes. The President and his subordi.
mates are positively forbidden to use the
Army "is posse comitatus, or otherwise,
for the purpose Of executing laws, except in
such cases and under such circumstances as
such employment Of said force may be ex-
prcssly authorized by the Constitution, or
by Act Of Congress-" Violation of this pro-
hibition is made misdemeanor punishable
by $l0, 600 fine and two years. Imprisonment.
It is absolutely forbidden to all persons in
the military, naval or civil service Of the,
United States to "Order, bring, keep or have
under their authority or control any troops
or armed men at the place where any gener-
al or special election is held in any State,
unless it be necessary to repel armed
the peace at the polls" The penalty for
any infringement of this law Il q
fine of not more thin $ 600 and imprison.
ment for not less than three months and not
more than five years. A similar punish
ment is provided for any officer or other
person in the military or naval service who
may attempt by order or otherwise to pre-
scribe the qualifications Of voters, or to reg
ulate the manner Of holding an election, or
by force, threat, Intimidation or otherwise
may prevent any qualified elector from vot.
ing, or compel an election officer to receive
the vote Of person not qualified, or inter-
fere in any manner with the duties of cleo.
ton officers, OF the free exercise Of the suf- |
frsge. The statutes are as sweeping and |
comprehensive as it is possible to make |
them. The penalties are severe, and are di. |
rected not only against the superior author
ity ordering . violation of the law but the |
subordinate officers and even privates
mands. No loophole is left for the evasion
Of these safeguards against military inter-
ference with the suffrage; nor Is It pretend
ed that they ever have been evaded.
What then do the Democrats want? Every
body knows; they want free fraud. There
are certain States In which they control the
administration without possessing majori-
ty Of the voting population. They have
captured those States by the most shame.
less violence. Their rifie.clubs have invaded
The polling places and driven off Repubh.
can citizens. Under the protection Of the
local authorities riot and terrorism have
made voting farce. Nothing threatens
the perpetuation Of this lawless despotism
except the power Of the President to exc.
cute the Federal Election laws-passed to
meet just this state of things-and to keep
The peace. This Is the authority against
which they now rebel. They insist that the
Executive shall be stripped Of the means Of
shall surrender one of its most
important functions to the Red Shirts Of
South Carolina and the White Leagues Of
me Mississippi Valley. That IL the whole