The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-06-22
The Republican fil1husters.

The Republican Eilibusters.
The Republicans succeeded by flibuster-
in defeating three very important meas
ures in Congress. legislation. too, which
the country needs, and but for the obstruc
ton policy of the Republicans would have
passed,
First is the tariff. The Democrats tried
in every possible way to make such re-
forms as would benefit the country, but ct
every step were met by Questions. amend
ments. and distractions. and finally by fill
clustering on thelpart of the Republicans.
were reluctantly compelled TO abandon the
attemptsto reform the. tariff laws-and
consequently the present Iorganized rob-
berry goes on by and with the aid and
consent of the Republican protectionists
The next in order was the reform in the
election laws. Everybody who reads. and
who is not too much of q partisan to admit
it, knows that the election laws as now in
force, are manifestly unfair; that instead
of guarding against fraud, really encour-
age it by giving to one party the power to
appoint all the special deputies, by cloth
ing these deputies with power not granted
to any other officer in any branch of SER
vice; by not prescribing that good charac~
ter tshall be q necessary qualification,
therefore making it possible for the chief
supervisor to appoint thugs, bummers, and
political thumpers of no character, and
clothing them with power to commit fraud
IN the interest of the party from which
their appointment comes.
This outrageous law, which is a menace
to free, fair and full elections, has been
proven to be detriment TO honest cleo
tioHs, and the Democrats in Congress
have endeavored number of times TO so
change its provisions as to make it what it
was intended to be, safeguard against
political crimes. The Democrats amended
the law 80 as compel the appointment of
the special deputies by the United States
courts, and to be chosen equally from all
political parties. and making it necessary
for sthese deputies TO be men of character
and to be residents of the district in which
they were selected to serve. This would
have made it next to impossible for the
deputies 90 commit frauds, and would
have been fair to all parties. The Repub-
hcans again filibustered. however. and by
refusing to vote. offering useless amend
ments, and by obstructing legislation, de-
layed the passage of the new bill until
within few days of adjournment, and
then a Republican president vetoed
the bill. And so the old law. which
practically offers premium for
fraud remains in force.
The next in order, and one q the NEST
important questions for the consideration
of the congress, was some definite plan
for counting the vote for president and
vice president of the United States.
Several bills were introduced. among the
number the Bicknell resolution-but
Republicaa fjbusteripg defeated them
all The last was a concurrent or joint
resolution, which provided that the electo-
raj vote of q state could not be rejected
without the concurrent vote of both
houses of congress- It was almost iden-
teal with the resolution of the lateSenator
Morton, of Indiana. and ought TO have
satisfied any one disposed to be fair. But
the regular tactics of the Republicans
were employed tosdefeat it. and By refus-
ing to vote, and by obstructiDg regular
legislation the bill finally went over with
out action until the first Monday in
the December. session, thus leaving the
matter in the same condition as now.
The Republicans were willing to vote
Tor a measure which gave to the vice
president of the senate power
10 count the electoral votes,
thereby clothing that individual
with power not possessed by any other
presiding officer in the country. This was
an evident attempt to retain power at any
cost, and even some Republicans did not
dare to vote for it. Thus we have a sum-
mary of the action of Congress on these
important measures, and In each case the
failure for their passages is with the Re-
publican party. If the people of the
country are deprived of the benefit of
these reforms. the blame is with the Re-
publican party, and not with the Demo
Gratis.
The Democrats in Congress endeayored
suvuum