The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-11-12
AEederaI Election Law.

While IL does not seem probable tnat
federal election law, intended for applca-
ton in the Southern States, can be passed
by the present Congress; there is certainly
a disposition ON the part of nearly all the
Republican members elect to consider such
measure. Cong ressman L.. c. Houk OF
Tennessee, has gone so far as to prepare
bill, of which copies have been sent to the
members elect of the Fifty-frst Congress.
This bill proposes solution of the tremen-
dously difficult and by many considered
hopeless problem, of giving to the negro
such protection on election day as shall off
set the bulldozlng that may be inflicted up
on him the other 364 days of the year when
the Federal authority must necessarily be
Withdrawn. MIR. Houk's bill provides that.
when one hundred qualified electors In any
Congressional district shall send a petition.
certified by the clerk of the United States
District Court. to the President stating that
they do no not believe fair registration or
election can he held in their district under
State laws, federal authority may be exer-
clsed. The mode of exercising such author
lily would be for the President to appoint for
each Congressional district an electoral
board OF three members. 1t is not quite
clear from Mr.. Houk's bill whether this
board might be appointed in any other way
than through petition from the district. The
members of these boards, who are to hold Of
fee during good behavior, must be residents
and voters OF the district for which they are
appointed. This electoral board would in
each district have supervision of the Con-
cfrQ inn nj oil
cinct this board would appoint registrar
aud three judges, selected from citizens of
the precinct The judges, who should
not be all of one political party,
would have the power to appoint
two clerks. The duties of the regis
trar and judges are not far different from
the duties discharged by similar officers I'M
der the present electoral system. Ample
time will be given to all voters to register
up to ten days before elections. Most am
pie facilities are given for purging aud cor
recting the registration lists. But on cleo
ton day no challenges would be allowed
against any man whose name should be on
the list. This would of course prevent in
tlmidation at the polls. In order to correct
any injustice that might be done in spite of
eho fiSudnco duu authority OF LneSe local
officers of election Mr.. Houk's bill provides
for State board of canvassers who should
refuse to count the vote of county, city or
precinct upon complaint made on the oath of
the candidate or any two reputable citizens,
and sufficiently substantiated by proof, that
the will of the majority had been suppressed
| or that any voters had abstaned from at
tending the polls or attempting to vote be-
| cause of intimidation or threatened violence
made on the day of election, or at a time
previous thereto and subsequent to the COM
mencement of the registration. After throw
ing out such precincts the board of canvass
ers would issue certificate of election to the
candidate receiving the highest number of
votes In the remaining precincts of the dis
trct. This is Mr.. Houk's remedy for
the greatest and most troublesome
| problem that arises in the admins
tration of republican form of gov
erment. If its solution can be arrived at
by any Congressional enactment, Mr.. Houk,
being a Southern Congressman, is no doubt
better able than most of his colleagues to
| suggest that method.