The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-04-20
WASHINGTON NEWS.
THE COMMITTEE ON CIVILIZED BULLDoz1Nt

THE COMMITTEE ON CIVILIZED BULLDoZING."
WASHINGTON, April Ex-senator Wallace,
| from the Select Committee to Inquire into
Alleged Frauds in Recent Elections, sub
mitted report to-day. They we're directed
to inquire whether citizens we're prevented
| from exercising the elective franchise, or
forced to use it against their wishes. The
Committee say heirattention was directed
by number of affidavits upon this subject
in the State of Massachusetts, and inquiry
was prosecuted there and in the State Of
Rhode Island. The specific allegation was
made that the employers of labor in these
States coerced their employees to vote as the
employers wished and that deprivation of
employment was the penalty for refusing
to do so.
The report refers to number of meet
ings, at which employers took active part,
and states that these meetings were preju-
dicial to freedom OF action of the en-
| ployes The meetings we're kept inside of
law The Committee do not find any case
in which conspiracy or unlawful combina-
tion to coerce voters was disclosed, but the
purpose Intended was as fully accomplished
as if unlawful means had been accom-
plished. The Committee refer TO cases of
several manufacturing companies in Mas
sachusetts and Rhode Island where such
rigid supervision was exercised, that en-
ployes feared to vote their sentiments, lest
they should be dischared.
| Wrongs upon the ballot or interference
with the right of suffrage or with the modes
of the qualification of the voter, are ques
tlons which are to be corrected and con.
trolled by the States and not by the Federal
Government. Suffrage is under the control
of the States and not of the Federal Gov
ernment The latter has no voters of its
| own creation. 1t can not define who are
voters. 1t can not qualify voters, nor can
| 1t protect voters from wrong by intllcting
punishment upon those who compel them
to improperly exercise their ripht of suf-
frage. 1t may punish for crimesc mmitted
in regard to the manner OF voting, but the
offense against right itself must be pun
ished under State laws and not by Federal
statute.
| The civilized bnll-dozing which we find
to have existed in the ancient and hon
ored Commonwealth OF Massachusetts, and
Rhode Island Is an evil which the people
of those States must themselves correct,
and your Committee feel that in bringing
the facts to public gaze they will help to
strengthen sentiment already in exist
ence, and aid in crystalizing it into such
statutory enactments of those States as
will correct the evil or punish its repe-
tition. lr tl
In conclusion, the report says TIE House
Committee was instucted to inquire and
report whether it is within the competency
OF Congress to provide for additional legis-
lation for the more perfect security Of the
| right of suffrage to citizens of the United
States in all States of the Uniok. They
have performed that duty, and whilst they
find that improper practices as herein be-
fore detailed exist in the States visited, and
freedom of choice by voters in these States
has been interfered with, and pers ms prac-
| tically threatened with dismissal from EN-
| ployment if they voted in opposition to
the wishes of.their employers, yet they can
not find that it is within the competency
of Congress to correct this wrong by addi-
tional or any legislation. but, on the con-
trary, the remedy therefor is found with
the law-making powerof the State in which
the wrong is perpetratei.
WHERE SHALL IT 90.
The House Committee on Coinage,
Weights and Measures decided to present
to the House bill favoring the removal Of
the mint machinery at Carson City, New
to point in the Mississippi Valley, where
a new mint is to be established. The Com
mittee meets next Saturday to decide at
| what point the new mint will be located.
Chicago and St. Louis will probably antag-