Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1880-06-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, May 81, 1880.

Senate and is likely to pass the House
has been violently attacked by the
Radical press and politicians as a
scheme to secure the presidency. Yet
every one Of these shriekers knows
that he lies and that the rule is as fair
as it can be made. The old 22d joint
rule used by the Republicans put IT in
the power Of either house to reject the
entire vote of a state. This new rule
requires the concurrence Of both houses
to reject any vote, which is certainly a
change in favor Of safety and fairness
So these Radicals occupy the very
consistent and honest attitude Of de
nouncing their own rule carefully i'm
proved. What they wanted, now that
the other side controls Congress, is
some bill or scheme like that of the
willy Edmunds, by which they could
trick the majority through the presid-
ing officer of the Senate, and it is not
certain that, even now, something of
that sort will not be attempted by the
advocates Of 'sstrong government ,
Bayard's bill legislating present
Election Supervisors out of office after
July lst, and making future appointees
subject to confirmation BY the Senate,
was the occasion of pretty lively de-
bate in the Senate this week, but the
bill as slightly amended by Senator
Thurman was passed. Mr.. Conkling
made particularly bitter speech
against it, charging that it was aimed
at Supervisor Davenport of New York
City more than any one else. This, OF
course, is not true, though if its only
effect was to depose such a thorough
rascal as 'littlo Johnny Davenport
the bill would be wise and proper. The
Republicans were very bitter against
the measure, and accused the Demo.
Gratis OF almost everything, including
the use of tissue ballots in South Caro-.
lima. 1t did not occur to any Demo
crat to remind them of the fact that
the notorious tissue ballots are a Re-
publican invention. They were first
used in 1876 in Florida by the Repub-
licans as was proved before Congress
sional committee and not denied by
tue Republicans at the time. 1t is
amusing to hear Republican Senators
boldly aud gravely accusing the Demo
Gratis of election frauds when thev
know that there is no kind of election
fraud and violence which was not sys-
tematically practiced by their own
party for years, not only in the South
ern States, but in almost all, and when
they have resisted every effort of men
like Mr.. Bayard at this session to inn
prove the federal election laws, which
are acknowledged by Republicans
like Mr.. Garfield to need amendment
IN order to prevent the grossest
abuses.
The last Of the three amendments to
the election laws will be brought for
ward at once. 1t is to prohibit the ar
rest of State election officers by federal
election officers on election day. The
object is to prevent State officers from
being dragged from the polls during
the progress of an election, as has been
done in several instances, thus leaving
the federal officers, who are notorious
ly strong partisans, in absolute and
unrestricted control of tue polls and
the hallot-boxcs. 1t will be remem
bered that the State authorities have
no power to arrest federal election Of
iccrs. 1t is astonishing that the Re-
publicans oppose all these changes.
which are, as everybody sees, required |
n the interest of a fair election. The |