Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-01-17

Senator Bayard, of Delaware, is reported
as expressing, in an interview on the sub
ject Of the two Electoral bills in Congress,
the following views
THE Edmunds bill wants the House, in
case of conflict, to concur to accept the re-
turns. whereas the Southland bill requires
that they shall concur to reject. | hardly
see how these opposing ideas can be recon-
ciled, and | can't see where the danger Is to
come from by adopting the Eimunds propo-
sitiou, when the State tribunals are given
such controlling power. | hardly like the
argument that some of our people use, when
they say, let us wait until we get control OF
both Houses This does not seem TO me
wise or stdtesmanlike, when such vast inter-
ests are at stake. and, possibly, the peace OF
the country. And then they seem to lose
sight of some very important facts. There
Is such thing as veto, and that We
couli not overcome. New, If We DRIFT
along and pass no bill, it should
be remembered that the present pre-
siding officer Of the Senate will have the
handling Of the next set OF Presidential re-
turns, and he might, possibly, under the
present law, arrogste 10 himself the same
dangerous power over the votes which the
Eimunds bill effectually disposes Of The
party in power. as a rule, always construcs
the law in contests to suit its own partisan
ends, and probably always will. and be-
lieye that a matter of his kind should be
settled beyond the power Of forced construc
ton for party purposes My position, briei-
ly, is that We can obtain reforms and pro
l. Al, a., nd - ,rnulH
be wiser to accept it than leave the question
unsettled to become the subject OF contro-
yersy again. | would be willing to make
many sacrifices before | would see the title
to the Presidency decided by another elec-
toral commission.
Mr.. Bayard's freedom from the bitter
partisan feeling which inspires the Democrat
ic opposition to the Edmunds bill, is much
to his credit. But We doubt if he can get
much Democratic help for the bill by his
suggestion that il no bill is passed the Vice
President will have the power Of deciding |
which shall be counted in case Of the pre-
OF two certificates OF the vote OF |
any State. If that were the case, We should |
not mourn over the failure Of the E1munds |
bill for We believe thst the constitution |
,oniers that power on the Vice-President,
md that it is better that high official ,chos-
IN ny the whole people, should have and exer
Use that most important power than that Con-
,ress should cOntrcl the count by partisan
majority. But the attitude and action of
he leading Republican lawyers of the Sen
.te two years ago toward the constitutional
provision in question. destroyed the power
If the VicePresdcnt to ASSERT his preroga-
i've in reference to the count. They reduced
lin to a mere machine to open the enycl-
'pes containing the votes. and such he must
emain, at least till new men and new views
# the subject at some distant day replace
hose which now control Congress. If no
ill passes on this subject, another electoral
will probably settle the next
lection. Of course it will be commission
With Democratic majority.