The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-01-10
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II = zf@fefts - - - 49,
bill reIating u elections q sDe1abers .
conefess and presidential electors IN
troducea on TUESDAY - Senator shsr-
man. viii be regarded with approval
in tie soath. lis passage would he a
grsa. ssissstef laf the Baurhoss WIN
would he compelled q devise some
Few method f0r making the eiectEon
MACHINERY run aaiy one way ~ the
Southern state.
The hili provides that alter 1ay J.
1so e!eetioas Tor representative 10
eoneres shall be conducted according
10 The provisions x the bill and tar
Legislature Of The states may direct
the election II the presidential elec;oFs
In the same manner tie expense II
the election IN such ease to be paid ogi
Of the federal treasury. The bill
authorizes the president 20 appoint
with the approval q The senate, Eve
qualified voters in each state - Re
knoua a. the board q state
canyassers. and three voters 10
each eonere sl0nal district 70
serve - an electoral board, appoint
ees 10 hold Office during good bcha-
vloY. The electoral board q each con
gressional district shall appoint a reg
istrar and three judges, not al Of the
same political party, for each cleo en-
precinct or district, to hold office -
six years. subject, however, 70 removal
for misconduct. The electoral board
is given power to increase the number
Of election precincts whenever necea-
sarv 10 secure a free and fair ballot
The Judge or judge a. any precinct
NAV appoint bystanders IN piaeeoi any
Judge or Judges Nho 80 ngt report t1r
duty Hithln one hour alter the opening
Of the polls. and III case none Of the
three Judges report. the election may
be conducted by any three voters Of
the district who may be willing TO act.
Tie electoral board i also directed -
appoint three commissioner Of cleo
ton for each county or CORE ponding
political division. whose duty Il shall
be 10 meet three days after the election
and ascertain from the return the
number OF votes cast for each person
at the election. The same provision IS
made for filing vacancies In the list Of
commissioner as Is made Ia the case
OF election judges. Provision j. made
for complete and correct registration
Of voters. and the judges Of election.
In counting the votes, are authorized
TO report any decided 10 have been
fraadulently voted The board Of com
missioners Is given power 10 correct
Irregularities in the returns Of Judges
Of elections. and heavy penalties are
prescribed for oiIenses against the cleo.
ton las.
II viii be seen that the primary OBJ
ject OF the bin is TO take the control
of elections for oiiicefs whose duties
are OF national character out Of the
hands OF state and local authorities,
and to place 4. in those oil the national
government Senator sherman. idea
is that n board Of state eapvasgcr-.
whose members are appointed by the
president and are to hold Office during
good behavior. would be far les likely
TO oonnive al fFuud than a board mp
pointed by local officers and existing
in the atmosphere Of local politics
The additional clauses Of the bin are
designed 30 meet the various methods
which are employed TO defeat the popu-
lar viii in the South. For instance, the
regularly appointed officials Of election
in strong Republican precincts often
fail 30 appear when the time to open
the polls has arrived As a copse-
quence no election is held and the Re-
publican candidates are thus deprived
OF the maiorities which would becasl
for them in the precincts whose pco.
pie are thus aisfrabchieed. Tho bll
meets this practice by providing that.
in ease the properly appointed officers
OF election do not appear, any citizen.
who are present may open the poll.
and proceed with the election
Il Is probably not expected hy scna
tor sherman that Law such as that
which he proposes would secure fan
elections in the south. lie probably
does expect, however, tbat 3; would
render elections less fraudulent thar
they now are. and this expectation 9,
not uniustilied. II Is reasonable 3,
suppose that election officers deriving
their power indirectly lrom the nation
al government would be less amtnahl,
10 local Influences and le., liable 1,
connIye at fraud than those who sr'
selected IN the manner Row common
In most Of the states
The bill does not by any means ollie
an adequate remedy for the cvl WAitl
Bourbon methods have fastened upoT
the south, but It's passage would he
--s1ep in the right direction.
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