Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-09-22

The Danger.
We said day or two ago that the Repub-
icans in the last national House Of Repre-
sentatives outgcnoralled the Democrats of
that body in the matter of framing an en-
nbling act providing for the admission into
the Union of North Dakota. South Dakota,
Montana, and Washington. Instead Of an
thorizing those four Territories to take oil
The preliminary steps 90 such admission
md leaving IL to the next Congress TO COM
rete the work tho last Congress incorpo-
rated into the enabling act tho unconstiiu-
tional clause 10 which we have several
times called attention namely, the clause
providing that elections are to be held IN
those inchoate States, and If those cleo
tions result as they are expected 70 result.
end the constitutions aud governments are
republican i'm form, and tine proposed new
constitutions are ratified. and oil the re-
Su.remeuts of the enabling act are COM
yliol with. then and ia that case the Presi-
don't shall issue proclamation announcing
the results of the elections. and those four
Etatcs shall be deemed admitted by Con-
Crcss into the Union
There are go many contingencies contem-
plated in the enabling act that it would be
strange If some of them did not occur.
The conventions, or the new Legislatures,
O. the Governors. or some official of some
rank and power VIII almost certainly fail
81 DO his duty.
What. for example, is the duty Of the
president? HIS duty is 10 issue a procla-
pation announcing the results OF the
elections provided for in the enabling act.
l}ut when Will be the time for him TO per
form this dutyi Read the act, and YOU
Vill see that q uumberoi things must con-
tpirc 10 fix the time for issuing this pro-
Jlamaron:
First. the territorial officials must can
Vtss the returns of the elections, and If "a
naiority of tho dlGl votes" cast shall be
Ior the Constitution the Governor must
certify the result 10 the President of the
United States. The word legal" em-
powers the canyassing officials to throw
cut all Illegal votes suppose these Off
Cials take the responsibility of throwing
tut votes enough ~ change the result on
the question of ratification from an affirm
ktlNf 10 "a llf'- At4Fts VI lAOl4 % AtNrhAA't ~
fnafirmatiyc. What will the President do
81 that case? Why he must accept the
certificate as true. He has no choice in
Che matter This single illustration shows
that the whole matter of admission ought
O. have been left 10 Congress, which has
absolute control over such measures. BY
the way. let Us say that We trust that the
next Congress will claim its right to decide
for itself how many, if any, of these new
claimants shall be admitted 10 statehood.
Again: The Governor has to certify "
b. the President 4" a statement Of the votes
cast on ne Constitution" (these are not our
words) land upon separate articles or pro-
positions, and copy OF said Constitution,
articles, propositions, and ordinances
Suppose the Governor neglect this duty:
will the imperfect State become perfect
10. indeed. The President even under this
far-reaching enabling act cannot do any,
thing except TO issue a proclamation an
uouncing the result Of the election"
Once more: the President cannot issue
lis proclamation unless the Constitu-
tions and governments of said proposed
States are republican in form" Who is to
decide this question? 1t is a question that
only Congress can decide.
No enabling act or other statute can
divest Congress of this power. So the
President can never acquire the cOnstitu-
fiOnal right TO issue this proclamation.
Finally, all the provisions of the en-
nbling act must be complied with" be-
fore the President can issue his proclama-
ton. That act contains an immense num-
Der of provisions; so many that we may
safely assume that all of them Will not be
compiled with" We are not surprised,
therefore, to read in the New York HerGida
telegram from Washington city containing
the following:
1.-THE suggestion that some of the pro-
visions of the new Constitution of North
Dakota may not be in conformity with the
enabling act is causing serious apprehen-
sion among the Republican politicians be-
cause of its possible effect upon the or
ganization of tho House."
Exactly. There is the cat in the meal
tub. The organization of the House by
the Republicans must be effected at any
cost. They planned this scheme in order
10 secure the control of that body. Give
them an inch and they will take an ell.
Their pet scheme of passing national
election law is at the bottom of all this
plotting and all these attempts to over
ride the Federal Constitution. Let that
rcheme be defeated this year-this one
time-and the people will see to it that
another such measure shall never come to
the light Of day. Hon. GEORGE +. Con-
VERSE, Of Ohio, says of this scheme:
"The proposal 10 seize the ballot-boxes
and control the elections by the Federal
Government is fraught with moro evils and
dangerous consequences TO the American
republic than any measure ever proposed
fince its organization. All lovers OF lib
erty should sound the note of alarm in
every State of this Union, and, like Israel
OF old. rush 20 their tents prepared to do
battle for Jeflersonan Democracy, popular
government, home rule.
Mr. CoSyEEsx is right. And MALONE ia
yors this proposal to "seize the ballot
boxes" MALONE favors it notwithstanding
1t is fraught with more evils and danger
Gus consequences" to our country than
any measure ever proposed since the re-
public was founded. Is it possible that
true-hearted Yirginians can support such a
man for Governor?