Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-10-21
CHICKENS
Coming Home 20 Roost-"Too Many
officials at the Polls.n
Federal Election Laws Made for the
South Operating in the North,

AnlrtWO Herald.
In the republic, whore the will of
the people should he easily asCertained
and freely OK pressed, everything
which operates in any way TO stifle
public sentiment or defeat ID at the
polls should be vigorously condemned.
We ARE In danger in this country Of
permitting vulgar craftsmanship 90
undermine the popularity of our gov
eminent and destroy the power o. the
people 10 change their officials at
will. The tendency OF all legisla-
tion since the war has been to make
more difficult the expulsion OF "A party
once intrenChed In the government
buildings. We have had many laws
passed evidently for the purpose of
strengthening the ofllce-holding class
against the people, but none Intended
10 strengthen the people against the
Office. holders, Unless the great army
of place.holders and place-seekers In
this country can In some way be re-
moved from politics we shall soon
see II 80 strong that no or
binary adverse majority of the
people will prevail against IL. II
is with this threatening evil In view
that the civil servie reformers continue
their agitation. The question Ia well
worth the thoughtful and patriotic
consideration OF all intelligent Ameri-
cans.
The federal election laws are vicious
In principle and wholly unnecessary.
They give the party in power at
| Washington enormous advantage over
! their opponents. Under them hun
! dreds and thousands Of voters may Ice
| bought outright and law-Rbiding citi-
/ a ..F
value rs police officers, for
they are not men OF experience,
and their brief authority gives them
no confidence I'm themselves. En-
ployed theoretically as representatives
| OF The national authority, they are in
reality merely the paid servants of a
party. There " no limit TO their
number. They have decided more
than one close contest, and as party
desperation becomes greater we may
expect them TO exercise still greater
influence. When IL Ia remembered
that the various states exercise eu-
preme control OF elections except in
the matter OF the watching done by
federal supervisors and marshals; that
their officials and courts are the Judges
OF the returns, and that the seal of
state IL conclusive "a To the correct
ness of any certificate of election, eN-
cept as the house Of representatives or
senate may on contest decide diiier-
entity relative to their own members,
IL will be seen that the duties ascrlbed
to these officials NJ the polls are Of
minor Importance. Both parties have
their local representatives nc each poll,
and the local police or cOnstabulary
are entirely capable OF preserving the
peace.
The multiplication Of paid partisanH
AT the voting places IL not desirable.
III one party does II under federal
laws, the other, having possession Of
local administrative offices, VIII
do all II can In the Same direction. In
this way the use Of money H. popular
lied, and powers which should be used
only for the protection OF all are en-
ployed for party and necessarily come
In conflict. The siDipler the machin-
cry OF our elections the better. Force
bepets force. Sharp practice on one
side results In sharp practice on the
other, Ii happens now that the lte-
publicans ARE the ones who profit by
the employment OF thousands OF mer-
cenaties as deputy marshalsand super
yisors. -Four years from now, ifthe Dem
ocrats should Ice In position to make the
I same despotic use OF power, the cutlery
against them would be very loud, and
the laws which Republicans. now 10!
[ upon with 80 much satisfaction would
J then be found 10 be very. oppressive.
) As the first step toward the reforma
; ton OF our politics and the simplifca'
Q ton OF our elections the federal cleo
! ton laws should be repealed. They
! are weapons 10 be used only by tbs
| ms against the outs, aud are obleetion
able In every way, no matter whlcl
party IL for the moment the gamer by
them.