New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-05-07

there are now no divisions IN the
Repub lican party which can endang.
ser its success IN the near approaching
national campaign, is more commen,
dable for the reason that it IS based
on 9 strong constituti onal argument
of the merits Of the question at is
sue. He diYests the real question
Of extraneous issues and with rare
frankness discusses it on its merits.
as q question Of constitution, law and
expediency
II the first place, BY liberal quo
tatlons from the statutes he shows
that military interference with the
elections, in any form or manner, or
under any excuse whatever, is al.
ready amply prohibited, and the. sub.
ordination Of the military to the CT.
vii power in such matters is already
affirmed under severe pains and PEN
alties for every infraction Of the law.
The question then is, as present hy
the sixth section Of the army bill,
whether the civil officers of the gov.
eminent shall be deprived Of author.
lty to preserve peace at the polls and
to protect the individual rights of
citizens in national elections against
intimidation, fraud and force.
The national constitution in one
Of its original provisions expressly
gives to Congress the authority to
regulate the time, place and manner
OF elections Of Congressman, except
only as to the places Of electing Sen
ators. The amended constitution
forbids the United States and the
States from denying or abridging
the right to vote on account of race,
color or previous condition of servii.
tude and confers upon Congress the
power to enforce this prohibition by
legislation. Under this expressly
conferred authority Congress, with
the concurrence Of both the great
political parties Of the day, has en-
acted guarantees of the citizen 5 right
to vote and equal opportunity to per
form all acts required by law as a
prerequisite or qualification for vo
ting. It has authorized United
StatesMarshals and their Deputiesto
keep the peace and preserve order at
general elections. It has authoriz ed
these officers to summon a posse com.
itatus when resisted or obstructed in
the discharge of their duties at elec-
tons. 1t has provided penalties for
the crime Of interfering with Super
visors of Elections and Deputy Mar.
shals in the discharge of their duties
at elections of Members of Congress.
These laws have nnquestionably con.
duced to the prevention of fraud and
violence at elections. In several of
the States members of different DO
litical parties have applied for the
safeguards they furnish.
It is not only the constitutional
right Of the national governm ent,
but it is its duty to enact and enforce
laws which will secure free and fair
Congressional election. These cleo.
tions, in any and every district, are
justly a matter Of political interest
and concern throughout the whole
country. Each State and every 20.
litical party is entitled to just that
share Of power which is conferred
upon it by legal and constitutional
suffrage. 1t is the right of every
citizen possessing the qualifications
prescribed by law to cast his ballot
unintimidated and to have it honest.
" counted. tits the right of every
citizen to require that each and all
shall vote freely and that everywhere
there shall be an honest count of the
votes. These rights can only be ade.
quately protected and enforced by
national laws.
Because this bill in it's sixth Sec
tion would deny to the United States
the necessary civil authority to pro-
tect a national election, the President
yetoes the bill.
He further, however, criticizes the
bill because it is in the line Of an
evil practice, which has become
common and through which have
come many abuses and great waste
ofpublic money-the practice of at.
taching to appropriation bills meas
ures not pertinent to them. This
practice hedeprecates, recommending
the better practice, which prevails in
many State Legislatures, ofrequiring
that no bill shall contain more than
one subject which shall be clearly
expressed in it's title. This he thinks
would bring about invaluable re-
form in the legislation of Congress.
He argues upon this subject at
length, with especial reference to the
present attitude Of the Democratic
majority in Congress, in asserting
and maintaining the principle that
the House Of Representatives, having
the sole right to originate bills
raising revenue, therefore has the
right to withhold appropriations un.
less the Senate and President shall