The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-03-29
The Lima Drawn.

The action Of the republican caucus in
determining to resist all political legislation
in congress draws the line distinctly. By
this action the Republicans show that they
are determined to keep their supervisors
and deputy marshals and pay them $50
each for acting as party recruiting SER
geants aud spies and bulldozers. In short,
they find officers like Davenport, altogether
too useful to be dispensed with, and pro-
pose to make a strong fight on that line.
OF course the Democrats will not yield,
even though the session be prolonged by
republican obstinacy. Really this is one
of the political issues before the country,
and the ground may as well. be cleared and
the lines drawn now as ever. There is no
intention on the part Of the Democrats to
press financial legislation Of any sort. If
the Republicans want to have a protracted
political debate on the question whether
our citizens shall be allowed to vote with
out federal bulldozing, and elect men Of
their own choice without paying republican
campaign agents $50.apiece. to prevent
their doing so, they may.as well. be indulg-
ed to their hearts content. That our read
ers may understand just what this. fight
will be, we summarize the issues, sas fol-
lows:
/. Repeal of the oath for Jurors and
provide for an impartial and non-partisan
jury.
2. Repeal of they authorization of the
employment Of soldiers ut the polls to bull
doze democrats
s. Repeal of 80 much of the election
laws as TO do away with the appointment
OF deputy marshals aud paying them $50
each to act as republican poll workers with
the power TO arrest democrats, and the alb
clifton of the office of chief supervisor who
can arrest democrats by the thousand,
without process, or cause.
When this supervisors law was passed
the Democrats took the ground that super
vision Of elections by the National Govern
ment was unconstitutional and an invasion
Of the rights Of the States. They believe
the same thing to-day and will contend to
the end for the repeal OF this law. The
Republicans will of course raise the cry Of
revolution" and try to make itsappear
that Democrats are opposed to'purity in
elections. But in this they will be disap'
pointed. The people understand the stu
alton too well. They know that it is not
purity OF elections for which the Republi-
cans in congress are contending, but the
power to keep their party in Office By
fraud and dishonest elections. Experience
has shown that the only utility Of the
deputy marshals and chief supervisor is al
electoneering machines to promote the in
terest of the party to which they belong
The Republicans, Of course, want theil
men kept in existence with the power which
they now possess-that Of being prosecutor
Judge, and executioner. There is no con-
stitutiOnal government in the world which
invests any one man with all these powers
and it is very evident that the Democrat
will not do their duty to the nation unless
they at this time abolish the Suppression o
law. At any event the Democrats in Con
gress are unanimous in forcing the repea
Of this legislation at all hazards, and in .hi
determination they are sustained by
large majority Of the people; not only oil
this one measure, but on the others enum
Grated above.