Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-04-17
TROOPS At THE POLLS.

preparation bill on Monday was very in
geniously constructed one, we'll calculated,
as it was intended, to mislead the public as
to the true issues involved in the proposed
amendments. He devoted the principal
part of his argument to prove that the army
is now so small that if the federal govern
ment really desired to interfere in the esec-
tions it could afford to send but one soldier
to each election precinct at the South, and
that therefore the fear that the presence OF
troops at the polls would intimidate tho
voters was all fiction of the imagination
an absolute impossibility.
We agree fully with Mr.. Blaine that if the
government attempted 10 place the elections
in every part of the country under military
control it would be an impossibility without
a large increase OF the army. But no one
is foolish enough to attribute such design
to the present or any other adj
ministration. It would be the height
of folly. The only places at
which the presence of troops at the polls
could be made available for purposes OF in
timidation would be in districts where the
parties are very nearly evenly divided. There
are but few of these in the country-not
more than a dozen, perhaps, but in these the
change of few votes would turn the election
one way or the other. This fact was recog-
nized by the Republican national committee
at the Congressional convention of 1878.
That committee did not pretend to aid can
didates in any district other than those that
we're considered close, and allowed all others
to care for themselves. So in the appoint
ment of supervisors of election and deputy
marshals. These were assigned only to the
close districts where efficient work could be
done-where the change of a dozen to fifty
votes would alter the result. It will thus be
seen that no large number of troops would
be necessary to sufficiently menace the voters
to entirely alter the political complexion OF
Congress thousand at most.
In presuming that, if any intention e1'
listed to intimidate voters it would be neces
sary to place soldiers at every polling place
in the country, Mr.. Blaine begs the ques
ton. The military could be absolute mas
ters of the situation by simply taking pos
session of two or three election precincts il
perhaps a dozen Congressional districts
while leaving the rest of the country to car
, for itself. To station troops in districts tina
are certain to elect Republicans to Congress
would be manifestly absurd, as it would b
to station them in districts that are know
to be reliably Democratic. But in close dis
tricts the military is capable of doing inf
mite harm.
MIR. Blaine but half states the questio
. when he claims that the real motive of tn
Democrats is simply to get rid of federal 81
y pervision at elections-to get rid of the civ
y power of the United States IN the election {
= Representatives to Congress, and therefor
this bill connects itself directly with the bi
< which was before Congress last sessio
9 known as the legislative, executive and jud
r. cial appropriation bill. While he
/ right in stating that the Democra
d desire to get rid of the supe
it visors of elections they also desire to cles
IL the polls of the presence of the military, ft
n they regard both as menacing to the ibert
t. of the citizen and the purity of the ballt
10 box, and insist on getting rid of both. TIL
" purpose has never been disguised, and NJ
E. Blaine has not made as great discovery
h he thought he had. This intention has bee
10 heralded abroad for several months, unit
If every man, woman and child, from Maine
California, understands it fully. We wa
to get rid of both these implements of de
potism and centralized power, and to resto
10 to the people the right to control the ele
in tions under the laws framed by the sever
ne States, thus relieving them from any outsi'
IN pressure that might influence their vote
he and at the same time guaranteeing pure al
n fair elections. It is only since the FEEDER
be government has essayed to control the Gle
% tions that we have heard of frauds at t
Az polls to any extent. Under the old and
es only constitutional system such CO.
ill plants we're exceedingly rare, a
n when made we're promptly
IT, vestigated and the perpetrators of the frau
of speedily punished. To say that the STU
I'm authorities have lost either the power or
he disposition to punish frauds upon the bal
no is to assert what is absolutely untrue. I
he same authority that formerly existed 9
lat resides in the election officers of the seve
&C. States, and will be used as fearlessly and
re- conscientiously as ever.
he We do not believe that the presence of I
en- military or of supervisors or deputy marsh
,ut has tendency to prevent illegal voting,
err rather the contrary. Men who are not
mt titled to exercise the franchise, but may hi
M an interest in the success of the ticket tn
the officials are sent to support, will cast th