The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1890-08-22
GLAZING MEASUREMENTS
Why the Lodge Bill Il In No Sense o
the Term n Force Bill

n Il
!, the Term Force Bill
4 The Democratic newspapers of tn
|, country are at present engaged in tn
daily occupation of calling the "Lodg
bill'' the 'force bill"
!, This is done, not because It is
|, force bill" but for the reason that tn
present political necessities of the Deu
, ocratic party require that this glarin
misstatement should be CONSTANT,
made.
1t is the duty of Republican newspa
f., pers to persistently remind the homes
c itizen who has neither the time no
tn. opportunity to study pending bill
in Congress- that the measure which
bears the name of Henry Cabot Lodge
the b rilliant young member of tn,
House OF Representatives from Massa
chusetts who introduced it, is really en-
titled "a act to supplement- and
amend the elections laws of the United
States, and t o provide for the more eff
cient enforce uent Of those laws, and
for other purpo ses-'
The titie of the bill indicates its
! character.
1t is to render mo re efficient the en-
forcement of existing Federal election
laws.
To this end the bill provides for Fed
eral supervisors Of elections, who are to
be present at the various polling places
on election day and act in harmony
with the State inspectors of election.
These supervisors are also empowered
to inspect the polling and registry lists,
and to protect by means lawful and
proper the right of every citizen to
vote and to have his vote counted.
There is not the slightest interior
ence with the rights and duties of the
State inspectors.
There is nothing in the act from be-
ginning to end that would for moment
encounter the slightest opposition from
any man who desired that the entire
vote of the colored States should be
cast and counted at Federal elections.
There Is no provision in this bill that
authorizes the use Of the military
forces of the United States at the polls,
except as it may now be done under ex-
listing provisions Of law when necessary
to repel the armed enemies of the
United States, and 20 keep the peace.
This is power that has been vested
in tbs Federal Government from the
beginning, and is similar to that exer-
cised by the Governors of all the States
as to the employment of the militia
The civil courts of each State employ
the sheriff of the county where the
Judgment is entered to execute it.
II the sheriff is opposed by armed
force In the discharge of his official duty
he may call to his aid the posse conf
tstus the power Of the county; in other
words, every able-bodied citizen is con-
stantly liable to be commanded by the
sheriff to aid him in executing the
judgments of the court.
In the matter of DEGREES and orders of
Federal courts, the President of the
United States and the marshals of the
various districts have back of them the
army and naval force of the United
States in all cases of armed opposition,
which is nothing more than o substi-
tute for the posse comitatus of the
common law in the various States Of the
Union.
This statement that the Lodge bill
does rot authorize the use of Federal
military power at the polls, but SIM
ply places the supervisors of election
under the protection of existing laws,
will doubtless be great surprise to
many who read, day after day, the ma
ligDant statements of Democratic and
mugwump papers; but such is the fact,
and we challenge this host of men,
dacious scribbless throughout the coun- !
try to publish thu bill or fair synopsis |
of it.
This they will never do, as it would |
convict them Of an effort to mislead the |
public by what can be accurately de- |
scribed as brazen lying.
The Democracy of to-day is entirely |
consistent with its past history.
1t opposed every great measure for
the prosecution of the war, for the re-
of the States in rebellion,
for the resumption of specie payments,
the Republic, his widow and his orphan.
Why should it not now resist the hon.
est efforts OF the Republican party to
carry out by appropriate legislation the
fifteenth amendment of the constitu-
ton Of the United States, that has ex-
Isted for twenty years, and provides
that no mans right to vote shall be
denied or abridged on account
Of race, color or previous condition of
The Democratic party is following
but the line of conduct it has pursued
'or thirty years in opposing the black
nan and his rights
1t has remained for the Governor of
his State and for sycophantic Northern
Democratic newspapers to assert that
the colored vote of the Southeast Is
freely cast and fairly counted, while
honorable Southeasterners in private
and in the newspapers are
admitting that the colored
man is clothed with the rights Of citi-
zenship derived from the constitution
and the statutes of the United States,
but they do not propose, for apparent
ocial and political reasons, to recognize I
he right
Whatever may be said of this latter
'osition from the legal standpoint, it is
t least manly and fair.
The Northern Democracy has played !
n many roles in past years, oftentimes
o the amusement as we'll as the amaze
nent of decent self-respecting citizens
ut the part to which it oftenest returns
nd to which it is most completely
Sedded is that of Auanias-N. Y. Mai. ,
nd Express +,
LAWLESS DEMOCRATS. Ia
he Lodge Election Bill Has Become .
Necessity to Southern Voters.