Evening journal., 1889-01-09
A NEW ELECTION LAW.
Proposed in the Senate BY Mr..
Sherman.
STATE BOARDS OF CANvAssERs.

ana boarus OF Ihree in Each Electoral
District, Their Terms to BE During Good
Behavior-salient Points of the BIN.
The House Deadlock Broken.
WASHINGTON, Jan 9.-Mr Sherman in
troduced in the senate an elaborate bill for
the reconstruction OF the system of elections
for members of the house Of representatives.
The bill is very long and is made upof detail
concerning the form of oaths TO be taken,
etc. It provides that the president shall ap-
point five persons in each state board of
canvassers, and three persons in each district
an electoral board for that district, their
terms to be during good behavior Each
board is to have president and a secretary.
The electoral board is TO appoint registrar
for each precinct or election district, to hold
office for six years. The electoral board il to
have the power to fill vacancies aud remove
for cause, if necessary increase the number Of
precincts and appoint registrars therefor.
The electoral board Of each district Is to ap-
point three judges Of election for each pre-
cinct, who shall be judges Of all Federal cleo
tions. At the time of the appointment Of
the judges, the electoral board is to select
three Of the persons 50 appointed to act as a
committee of elections in and for each city,
county or corresponding political division in
the district, whose duty it shall be to meet
on the third day after the election, open the
returns and canvas the votes. The committee
is to have the power to fill vacancies in the
boards of commissioners. The electoral board
is to organize Immediately after its appoint
ment and it is to meet in May and any time
thereafter on call of any member of the
board.
Immediately after qualifying for his Office,
each registrar is to announce through the
medium Of printed handbills the place and
time Of registration. Amy persons offering
to register, and being refused permission,
may make an appeal TO the judges of election,
and any elector may challenge the vote Of
any one who comes to the polls. If the chal-
lenged person is registered, appeal is to had
to the county board, and its decision Is TO be
final
The registrars are to have the power of
United States marshals It is made lawful
for five qualified voters, fifteen days previous
TO the regular days Of registration, to post
notice at not less than three places, including
the voting place, of the names Of persons
alleged to be improperly on the registration
books This notice is to be signed by the
five voters, and testimony is to be heard by
the board Of canvassers, who shall determine
whether or not they are Improperly regis
tered
Notice Of a special election is to be given
TO the electoral board twenty days prior to
the day of election, and the board IS to for
ward five printed notices each TO the regis
trars, who shall post them; but failure to
carry out this provision shall not invalidate
the election if it was not carried on by
fraud
The electoral board is to meet not later
than ten days after each election day to re-
count the votes.
The remainder Of the bill is devoted to de-
tail concerning the method Of casting votes,
etc
Mr.. Sherman, presenting the bill, said that
it had been prepared by a gentleman famil-
lar with the subject, who did not care to
have his name made public. Many Of the
provisions Of the bill were modelled on the
laws Of the southern states He thought il
was calculated to insure perfectly fair elec.
tions.
CONDITION OF THE NATIVES OF ALASKA.
The committee investigating the charges
against the Alaska Commercial company
continued the hearing. Chairman Dunn
opened tine hearing by reading a written
statement from Mr.. Jeffries (the company s
attorney stating that he was ready to show
by sworn testimony that the publications
and statements as to the alleged outrages
and maltreatment Of the natives by the COM
pany's agents were unfounded.
7. F. Morgan, agent Of the company, tes-
titled at some length as to the privileges al
lowed the natives, their condition, etc. In
regard to the newspaper charges he said they
were unreliable and without foundation.
| I - =
from 1854 to 1888, stated that the inhabitants
of the Seal Islands were quite contented and
much better off than those in other parts Of
Alaska.
LOOKING OUT FOR HIS FOLLOWERS.
Mai William Warner, commander in chief
of the Grand Army of the Republic, will APP
pear before the senate census committee on
Friday next to make a statement concerning
soldiers and sailors to be included in the next
census reports.
TARIFF TALK.
The senate devoted nearly another entire
day to discussion Of the tariff, jute hagging
being the principal topic. Amendments
were rejected by the usual party vote.
THE HOUSE DEADLOCK BROKEN.
In the house the deadlock was ended by
the recommittal of the resolution to change
the rules. At the conclusion Of the reading
of the journal Mr. Reed called up the reso-
luton to change the rules. The previous
question was ordered by vote Of lS7 to 20
Mr.. Holman, Of Indiana, acting in pursu
ance of the caucus action Monday night
moved to. recommit the resolution, and on
that motion demanded the previous question
The vote on Mr.. Holman's motion dis
closed the absence Of quorum and call Of
the house was ordered 1t was found that q
quorum was present and the vote was again
taken, resulting in the adoption OF Mr.. Hol
mans motion: Yeas 120; nays, III
The following Republicans voted in the
affirmative; Anderson lof Iowa., Andersen
lof Kansas, Cheadle, Finley, Fuller, Baker
Gist, Lehlbach and Turner lof Kansas; ant
the following Democrats in the negative
French, Hayes, Hopkins (of Virginia. Outh