Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-12-05

toward final vote and now stand upon
the calendars Of the two houses in favored
positions. To some of these measures
which seem TO me most important now
briefly call your attention.
SUBSIDIES.
desire to repeat with added urgency
the recommendations contained in my last
annual message in relation to the develope-
ment OF American steamship lines. The
reciprocity clause Of tho tariff bill win be
largely limited and its benefits retarded
and diminished if provision Is not contem-
poraneously made to encourage the estab-
llshment OF first-class steam communica-
ton between our ports and the ports of
such nations as may meet our overtures
Tor enlarged commercial exchanges. A
subsidy for the Australian line is especially
recommended.
The bill for an international bank, for
the relief of the supreme court and for
the raising Of the salaries of district court
judges, Tor the adjustment of the Spanish
and Mexican land grants, for national
bankrupt law, for uniform safety brake
and coupler on all railroads to save the
lives Of 1000 and the limbs of 20, 900
young men killed or wounded annually,
for the water supply of arid regions, for
the use of the telegraph in connection with
the postoaice department should all, be
passed this coming session.
FREE AND HONEST ELECTIONS.
If any intelligent and loyal company of
American citizens were required TO cata-
logue the essential human conditions Of
national life, / do not doubt that with alb
solute unanimity they would begin with
'frce and honest elections" And it is
gratifying to know that generally there is
a growing and non-partisan demand for
better election laws. But against this sign
or hope and progress must be set the de-
pressing and undeniable fact that election
laws and methods are sometimes cunningly
contrived to secure minority control, while
violence completes the shortcomings of
fraud.
In my last annual message i suggested
that the development Of the existing law
providing a federal supervision of con-
gressional elections offered an effective
method of reforming these abuses. The
need Of such a law has manifested itself in
many parts OF the country, and It's whole
some restraints and penalties will be useful
to all. The consttutionality OF such legis-
lation has been affirmed by the supreme
court. Its probable effectiveness is evil
'denced by the character Of the opposition
made to it. 1t has been denounced as ii it
were new exercise of federal power and
an invasion of the rights of the states.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Congress has already fixed the time for the
election of members of congress. 1t has
declared that votes for members of con-
gress must be by written or printed ballot;
it has provided for the appointment by the
circuit courts in certain cases, and upon
the petition Of certain number of citizens,
of election supervisors and made it their
duty to supervise the registration of voters
conducted by the state officers; TO challenge
persons offering to register; 10 personally
inspect and scrutinize the .egistry list, and
TO atfix their names to the lists for the pur-
pose Of identification ana the prevention
of frauds; to attend at elections and remain
with the boxes until the votes are all cast
and counted; TO attach to the registry lists
and election returns any statement touching
the accuracy and fairness of the registry
and election, and to take and transmit to
the clerk of the house of representatives
any evidence Of fraudulent practices which
may be presented to them. The same law
provides for the appointment Of deputy
United States marshals to attend at the
polls, support the supervisors in the dis
charge OF their duties, and to arrest per-
sons violating the election laws. The pro-
visions of this familiar lot of revised
statutes have been put into exercise by
both the great political parties, and in the
north as well as in the south, by the filing
Nth the court OF the petitions required BY
law
1t Is not, therefore, question whether
we shall have federal election law, for
we now have one, and have had for nearly
20 years, but whether we shah have an
effective law. The present law stops Just
short Of effectiveness, for it surrenders to
the local authorities all control over the
certifcation which establishes the prima
facie right to seat in the house Of repre-
This defect should be cured.
Equality of representatives and the party
of electors must be maintained or every
thing that is valuable in our system of
government is lost. The qualifications of
an elector must be sought in the law, not
in the opinions, prejudices or fears of any
class, however powerful. The path of the
elector to the ballot box must be free from
the ambush of fear and the enticcmcnts Of
none shall gainsay it. Such law should
be absolutely non-partisan and impartial.
1t should give the advantage TO honesty
and the control to maiorities. Surely there
is nothing sectional about this creed, ano
if it shall happen that the penalties of laws
intended to enforce these rights fail here
and not there, it is not because the law is
sectional, but because, happily, crime is
local and not universal Nor should it h
that every law, whether relating to cleo
tions or any other subject whether
enacted by the state or the nation, hg
force behind it; the courts, the marshal oil
constable, tho posse commitus, the prison,
arc all and always behind the law.
APPROPRIATIONS.
The preparation of the general appropria.
ton bills should be conducted with the
greatest care and the closest scrutiny Of
expenditures. Appropriations should be
adequate to the needs of the public service,
but they should be absolutely free from
prodigality.
/ venture again to remind you that the
brief time remaining for the consideration
Of the important legislation now awaiting
your attention offers no margin for waste.
If the present duty is discharged with dill
gcnce, fidelity and courage, the work Of the
Ii. congress may be confidently submitted