St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-11-27
CONTROL OF ELECTIONS.

Senator DAVIS humorously remarked
the other day that the country would be
saved and lost forty times during the
next session of congress. By that he
meant to convey the idea that the states
men with hobbies would be on deck,
and each one pressing his particular
hobby with all the earneStness of
patriot who believed the salvation of the
country depended upon the success
of his pet measure. 1t is usually the
case in every congress, and the indica-
tiOns are that the hobby statesmen will
be unusually plentiful in the next con-
greSs.
There is one hobby of ancient date
which is sure to bob up again, yet the
prospects for its success are not so fiat
tering as they were few weeks ago.
We allude to the proposition relating to
federal control of elections. 1t is stated
quite positively at Washington that
President HARRISON will make a very
strong recommendation in his message
to congress in favor of federal control of
/, elections at which congressman are
elected. Yet it is singular that the
course when we remember that in his
inaugural address he was extremely
cautious on this subject. 1t is certain
that the result of the late elections
would impress a man of cOnSerVa-
tive Judgment with the necessity for
going slow i'll the matter of interfering
with local affairs; but as Gen. HARRI-
son is more of a partisan than states
man it is quite probable that he will
handicap his party with just such silly
recommendation In his first annual mes
sage. Judging from the course events
have taken IN Montana, we are prepared
to believe that political subjugation is
the policy of this administration, and
that it has been adopted in pursuance
of plan agreed upon by the protection
lists to retain their power in congress.
The twaddle about the necessity for the
coercion of the Southern states in order
to restore majority rule is mere pre-
text for further encrOachments upon
popular government in the loyal states
of the North. The Republican majority
I'M: the senate to-day is held only
through devices to defeat the popular
will in the Northern states. For ex-
ample, the Republicans hold the sena-
tors from Connecticut and Rhode Isl
and in spite of the majority by plan
which makes small Republican towns
count as much in the election of Sena-
tors as Democratic towns greatly ex-
ceeding the others in population. A
most outrageous gerrymander in New
III
senators from that state when the popu-
lar vote is largely Democratic. By
similar outrage Oh popular government
the senators are secured from other
states; and now, by downright theft,
the attempt is being made to gather In
two more from Montana. Thus it will
be seen that the pretended necessity
for regulating elections in the South is
only sham to enable the president to
control the election in the Northern
states so as to assure the proteetioniSts
a majority in congress for an indefinite
time. In other words, the passage of
such law would be to establish high
tariff protectOrate and to invest the
monOpolies with dictatorial power. AS
long as they can retain control of the
senate it will be impossible to secure
the enactment of tariff reform legis-
lation.
1t is pretty bold game that the pres
ident will ask congress to play, yet
there is no device the monopolies will
not resort TO in order 10 retain their
power in congress. 1t is not in human
nature to voluntarily surrender power,
nor is it usual for those in possession of
it to have power wrested from them
without a struggle to retain it. The
manufacturing mOnOpolies have had
their way for quarter of century.
They look upon the recent popular up
rising as an invasion of their rights;