Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-10-01
THE BEA YER MEN.

duced many great men IN the hadlcai
line of statesmen. The last squad is
made up of tx. Chief Justice Agnew,
Ex-senator Rutan, now Collector OF
abo Port at Pittsburgh, NJ. S. Quay,
Secretary Of the Commonwealth, DR..
Sherlock, I hiet Clerk in the House,
etc. Notwithstanding this hcrculean
talent and godliness that seems to
have prevailed in that county for
many years the commonality has been
so corrupt that they had to apply to
the Legislature last Winter and have a
law passed for the holding of tho Radi-
cal primary elections in that county
in the future. The Philadelphia Re.
cord in commenting on this enactment
says
"The bound volume Of laws which
is regularly distributed succeeding
each annual session of the Legislature
frequently reveals some vary queer
things in the way of formal legislation.
In considering the hurry and hustle
which accompany the business of law.
making, and especially such dire con.
fusion as preceded the close of the last
session OF the Legislature of this State,
it does not appear surprising that some
wonderful things should afterward up.
pear on the statute book. The pamph-
let laws of 1879, however, contain an
act which is 80 far out of the ordinary
run of legislative curiosities as to be
worthy of special mention. On page
&c of the volume in question may be
found law bearing this title AN act
to regulate the holding of and to pre-
vent frauds in the primary elections
of the Republican party held in the
general election districts OF the county
Of Beaver On its face the law is
plainly unconstitutional; but, this point
aside, its details are worthy of atten-
ton. The act is an attempt to give
the status of law to the rules of the
Republican party of Beaver county in
relation to the primary elections OF
that party IN the said county In the
preamble it is recited tina. as the Re.
publcans of Beaver have adopted the
plan of holding primary elections by
popular vote y tits desired to
have said elections faithfully and hon,
estly conducted. 1t is therefore pro.
vided in section first that it shall be
the lawful duty of the judges, inspect
ors and clerks of the primary elcc.
tions of the Republican party of
Beaver county to take an oath to per.
form their duties lin accordance with
the laws and Constitution OF the Com.
monwealth of Pennsylvania and the
rules and regulations adopted by the Re
publican party Of Bearer county for the
government Of the said primary elections.
The second section provides, first, that
any officer Of "a primary election as
aforesaid who shall act without taking
the prescribed oath shall be subject to
fine not exceeding two hundred dol.
lars A like penalty Is provided for
wilfully disregarding or violating the
provisions Of any rule duly made by
the said Republican party of Beaver
county for the government of the
primary elections OF the party y also
for knowingly rejecting the vote Of
any person entitled to vote under the
rules of the SAID Republican party, or
tor receiving the vote Of any person
not qualified as aforesaid : and finally
it is laid down that any official of a
Beaver county Republican primary
election who shall be guilty of any
wilful fraud in the discharge of his
duties shall be subject to fine not
exceeding five hundred dollars, or i'm
prisonment not exceeding one year,
or both. Among the fraudulent acts
specified arc destroying or defacing
ballots, adding unlawful ballots to the
poll, false counting and "stufling the
ballot box" Strange as it may appear,
this anomaly in legislation was ap.
proved by Governor Hoyt May 22d,
1879.
While being in an emphatic sense a
local or special law, as defined in the
Constitution, the act is more than this,
for it applies to but little in excess Of
half the voters of Beaver county as
revealed in the election returns for
1873. The act dignifies with the name
of law party rules that exist only
in the air. Men are to be punished by
the fiat of the State for violating rules
and regulations which irresponsible
men lay down and, 30 far as revealed
in the act, these rules may be modified
subsequent TO the passage of the act
but whatever the modification may be
they are still to be treated as law, and
the Courts are TO punish for any VIC
lation of them in letter or spirit. But,
crndities and absurdities aside, it has
to be asked, in all sincerity, whether
this law does not contain valuable
suggestion, which, if properly expand
ed and applied, might be of great
benefit to other communities than that
of Beaver county. The law appears tC
be the result of q sincere effort to pre-
vent frauds at primary elections. The
purpose it to place the primary meet
ing, as well as the election proper
under the supervision of the Courts
The history of the act would be of in
terest. The primaries of both parties
have come to be, for oil practical pur
poses, close corporations. The glarinl
evils of the system are admitted. Th'
task of devising and instituting al
effective remedy merits the nitentioI