New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-27
REPUBLICANS AND THE ELECTION LAWS


Republicans are fighting for "troOps at the
Gpolls," it is said. They are disposed, it is as
serted, to go into q close election burdened
with the policy of making disreputable selec-
tons for election marshals. AS matter of
fact, the Republicans are opposed to coercive
legislation in every shape-to every form of
addition to the appropriation bills which Is cal
culated to destroy the freedom of judgment
and action of the minority in Congress or Of the
Executive. They resist such measures as revo-
iutionary, quite irrespective of the tenor of the
measures themselves. In this they are right, and
hope for the full support Of the President. But
their opponents also studiously msrepresent the
character of the particular measures now pend
ing, and cannot claim with truth or decency
that Republicans who oppose on their merits
the pending Army bill or the Immediate Def
cheney bill, Of which the President is now ex
pected to sign the one and veto the other,
are in favor of policy Of using
troops at the polls and making disreputable
selections for election marshals.
The power to use the Army for the enforce
ment of the civil laws has been abused, it Is
true. So has the power to select United States
marshals to enforce the election laws Repub
IlChub Wubl0 uO ttIIO Ill hOh1iuB thdV VhVoO VlO-
visions of existing law have in some cases been
abused. They go further; they frankly ex-
press regret that there should be any occasion
for such provisions, because they are in their
nature liable to abuse. Yet they oppose such
changes as the Democrats have attempted to
make, and because they believe that such
changes would go far to cripple the United
States Government and to make the election
laws impOtent. 1t would be but fair and decent
TO state the Republican position in these mat
tiers truthfully, and it would be expsdient also
for the Democrats, because their misrepresen-
tation in vital point tends to deprive all their
reasoning and criticism of weight with loyal
people.
The loyal people Of the country want the law,
faithfully enforced. They have been tauRhst
by observation of Democratic methods, that
large powers for the prevention OF fraud and
violence in connection with elections must be
lodged somewhere. That it is folly to expect
Democratic State officials to stop fraud or vio-
lence in the interest of the Democratic party, the
loyal people have been taught by ugly expert
ence, in Louisiana, Mississippi South Carolina
and many other Southern States, and in New
York and Maine. Hence the election laws
RTdQC large pOWCI W IuO ECuSlut
and the loyal people of this land deem those
laws essentially just and necessary. They are
ready to listen to propositions for the amend
ment of these laws. But they stoutly resist,
and brand as essentially disloyal, any attempt
to nullify or defeat those laws by depriving the
President of the power necessary to enforce
them, by depriying duly appointed officials Of
their pay, or by placing the power of selecting
the officials within the reach of the same parti-
san influences which have constantly defeated
the enforcement of just laws in Democratic
States. Notification is quite as offensive to
the loyal people Of to-day as 1t was to the
Democratic President who stamped it out in
South Carolina. The form makes no difference /;
the thing Is the same, however disguised.
AS to abuses Of these laws, too, the Repub-
lican position Is simple and honorable. Repub-
ilCans do not desire, oountenAnCe or defend such
sbnsss Thsg have elected FrssiSsat who