The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1889-10-28
THAT FORCE BILL,
Briefly, Here is What Il Is.


reserved in the Constitution, to de-
termine and judge of the qualifica-
lions of voters. The assertion that
it is to secure full and free elections
is mere pretense. The chief super
visors are to be appointed for life,
and, as the electoral machinery
is put into their hands, it will be
/ for years under the control of Re-
publican partisans, no matter what
may be the character of the Admin
ristration.
The officer who is to be in charge
of elections is called the Chief SUI
pervisor of Elections. There is to
be one for each judicial district.
He is judicial officer, for he is a
United States Commissioner. He
is to have charge of the Federal
officers who arc to be appointed to
control elections. He is to ex-
anime voters under oath and re-
celve returns. He is to have charge
of the deputy marshals appointed
to assist him, and will have abso-
lutte power to order arrests.
There are to be three supervisors,
1 subordinate to the chief supervisor.
I two of whom shall be of the same
/ political party, and these supervi-
sors are to conduct the election.
A partisan could appoint two
sound republicans and one Demo
crat who was cripple or too i'll to
be at the polls. The bill provides,
in sucha case, that all the duties
shall be performed by the two re-
naming supervisors; in other
words, the two Republican super
visors are to manage the election.
Arrangements are made in the
bill whereby local party committees
may practically name The supervi-
sors, so that ;he most seryiceable |
party workers may be employed. |
This is effected by provision au-
thorizing persons to apply to the
chief supervisor for appointments.
Care is taken also that supervi-
sors may be appointed on the very
eve of an election. in order, doubt
less, that complaints against the
character of the appointses may be
avoided.
The chief supervisor is permitted
to name double the number of su-
pervisors that can be required in
his whole judicial district. In this
way the Republican party can pay
an army OF workers at the polls
from the Federal Treasury.
Supervisors may be transferred
from one part of Congressional
district to another, so that the vo-
tiers may have no acquaintance with
the armed men who are guarding,
supervising ami scrutinizing" their
election. They may be negroes
or outlaws.
If the State officers, obeying their
own law, refuse to receive proffer- |
ed ballot, the Federal officers may
first direct them to do so, and then,
on refusal, may themselves receive
and deposit the ballot.
The secret ballot laws are further
infringed by the Force bill because
it requires the presence Of the SUI
pe-visors within the polling-place.
The Australian system excludes
all persons but the local election
officers and watchers, This pro-
vision is one of the most important
features of the new law, for it keeps
the workers away from the voters.
1t is intended by the Force bill that
this safeguard shall be broken
down, and that, in the form of SUI
pervisors, Republican workers, paid
by the Federal Government, shall
h., a. Tho
Ths proposed secrecy of the new
law is also infringed because the
supervisors are authorized to &C
cept rejected ballots, to write upon
them the names of the voters offer
ing them and to count them. Thus
the Republican supervisors may
hold their own election, receiving
the votes of those found to be dis
qualified by State officers. All this
will be done in opposition to State
laws which require secrecy and a
single ballot-box, and it will effect
the result of State as well as of
Federal elections.
The Board of Canvassers of the
Congressional vote is body which
makes the canvass for the United
States 1t is appointed by the Cir
cult Judge, who is dragged into
party politics by nearly every sec
ton of this extraordinary bill. The
board consists of three, two of
whom can be of the same political
party.
"If their certificate differs
from that Of the State officers their
candidate is to be seated. If the
opposing candidate appeals it must
be 70 the Circuit Judge, who is con-
saouantlv a returning officer The |