Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-12-18

The Portland Argus IL mortslly afraid
that the Federal election bill, introduced
by senator Chandler Of New Hampshire.
may become q law. In this It stands In
line With its party generally. There Is
nothing In the world that the Democratic
party has such terror OF a. honest Con-
gressional elections. In this they foresee
a loss Of much Of their strength In the
national House. Hence they will hang
to..the old methods Of shot gun, intimida-
ton and fraudulent counts just as long -
they can. They will certainly not have
fair and honest elections II they can pos
sibly avoid IL. As = party the Democrats
have ceased to declare that the worst
kinds Of fraud and intimidation do not
exist Ia the South. There was a time
when the Democrats Of the country I'M
dertook to make such denials, and the
Argus itself did some yeoman service In
this line. But that day has passed. The
have been such that no man can
well afford to stake his reputation
on such denisls, and nobody would
believe him IL he did. The Southerners
themselves, more frank than their North
ern apologists, have acknowledged that so
far as the negro vote Is concerned it Is not
permitted fair chance at the ballot box.
They tell US this very bluntly. and add in
way Of extenuation. that they shall never
permit Negro Domination in their
States-that 1t Is a white mans country
and white men will rule it. flour esteemed
contemporary wants an instance Of this
we refer to the recent Boston address OF
Editor Grady OF the Atlanta Constitution.
With these facts In view, it is not at all
surprising that the Democrats are ready
to oppose any measure that will secure
throughout the whole country, north,
south, east and west a free and fair ex-
preston Of the will Of the voters.
The Argus labors to show that this bin
would interfere with and even usurp the
functions Of the various State governments
But in this It fails utterly. The members
of Congress are not State officers. They
form part OF TIE National Government
and legislate for the people Of the whole
country. 1t seems eminently proper then
that the National Government should take
all needful precautions to insure free and
fair elections Ia the selection of these mem
bers of its own law-making department
This is not question that pertains merely
to the people Of any one State. or set of
States. IL vitality concerns the people of
the whole country. II there Is any rea-
have prevailed in certain sections Of the
nation should longer be permitted to
jeopardize the interests of the whole
country, 1t has yet to be brought forward.
II there is any valid reason why Congress
should not insist on the honest election
Of its own members, it has vet to be
stated. Senator Chambers bill Is brought
forward in response to very general
public demand that fraudulent election
practices shall no longer be permittad
to endanger National legislation.
1t Is interesting to note that Senator
Chambers bill Is not a sectional measure.
1t applies with equal force to every State
in the Union. 1t is designed to secure
honest, election Of members Of Congress
everywhere, and, II passed. it is our firm
belief that 1t will accomplish its object.