Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-05-13
EAST e r ~.
Washington Notes.

WASHINGTON, May l,th.-Al.
though no absolutely authoritative
statement can be obtained concern.
ing the Presidents intention in re.
gard to the so-called "military ln-
reference bill,n which was sent to
him Saturday, it is nevertheless
very distinctly lntimated at the
Executive Mansion that the meas.
ure will be vetoed. When this bill
was first brought to public notice,
by its introduction In the House of
Representatives by Mr.. Ladd, in
behalf of the Democratic caucus,
the President supposed it contained
little If anything more than the
existing prohibitions against mill.
tary interference with elections;
but upon closer scrutiny, aud espe-
cially in the light of the Senate de-
bates concerning it, he has appsr-
ently arrived at the conclusion
that, although it omits the words
EARNED men" and the reference to
"civilp officers, which were con-
tanned in the vetoed Army Appro-
priation bill, 1t really goes much
direction of preventing the enforce
ment Of the general election laws,
or Of any other United States stat
utes, on election days, either by the
Chief Exective or by subordinate
civil officers, In any contingency
where the civil power alone may
prove to be Inadequate. The prin-
cipal ground upon which the i'm
pending veto will be based Is doubt
less the logical necessity for the
President TO maintain the position
taken by his former message in
support of the justice and need of
present Federal election laws. 1t
Is evident that he cannot adhere to
the policy OF maintaining the elec.
ton laws and vet as
sent to measure which would
deprive him Of the power to exc
cute them. The sixth section of
the vetoed bill virtually provided
that they should be executed only
when unoppsed. The Ladd bill, in
effect, provides that they may be
executed when not opposed by any
force too large for the civil arm Of
the government to overcome. An
influential friend of the President,
after outlining the above views this
evening, has drawn the following
conclusions, which, there ia good
reason to believe, will find embodi-
ment in the forthcoming veto mes
sage: "To say that law shall not
be executed il resisted up to GER
tain point, is to invite those who
dislike ii to combine their efforts
and make their resistance strong
enough to reach the point at which
immunity is guaranteed. Hence, the
President, as one of those who be-
lieve in maintaining the Federal
election laws, is liable to regard the
Ladd bill as even more objectiona-
BILE than the one he has already
vetoed; for Ire will be apt to look
upon it as an advertisement O.
immunity to the strong :.nd pen
atty to the weak iect encourage
ment, in short, the organization OF
armed bodies strong enough 10
deny the civil authority of the
United States, the only authority
which, even in the most urgent
contingency, can be used against
them under the provisions Of that
BILL" 1t is also argued with refer
ence to the purpose of the bill re-
enacling the present authority for
the President to use the mills
tary when called upon by State
authorities, that such call cannot
be made except by upheld State
laws; and that, therefore, under
this bill the use of troops on elec-
tion days to enforce the laws of the
country at large would be an en-
tire impossibility.
SEEKING 10 Regulate Cable Teitl
graphs.
WASHINGTON. May l2.-The bill
introduced by Eaton, relating tt
telegraphic communication be
tween the United States and for
eign countries, proposes to give tnt
consent of Congress to any and Oil
persons and associations, American
or foreign, to lay any telegiayLie
|ur magnet line or lines, cable .oI
cables, between the United STATES
and foreign countries, subject. how.