Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-08-08
THE NEW FORCE BILL
PROVISIONS OF THE SUBSTITUTE
REPORTED IN THE SENATE.
Some OF the Most Objectionable Features
NithdrawD--The supervision and
Inspection of Elections.
lRr tolerrnnh 70 the pisnateh.l

WAHSoroN. d. c., August THE Sem
ate Committee on Privileges and Elections
to-day held meeting OF which the substi-
tute prepared by the Republican members
for what is known as the Lodge election
bill was submitted 20 the full committee.
1t was decided by party vote 90 report
the bill TO the Senate. and this was done
late in the afternoon by Chairman Hoar.
Senator Teller, OF the majority. reserved
the right in voting 20 report the substitute
to offer amendments thereto on the floor Oh
the Senate. The substitute is seventeen
pages shorter than the bill which passed
the House.
Among the changes which the Senate
committee made are the following: All
reference 20 that section Of the Revised
Statutes which II was claimed PROVIDES LOT
the presence Of troops at the polls was
stricken out. 80 that there IS no change
from the present law in that respect Inc
lOuse-tO-hOuse canvass provided for IN the
House bill was stricken ont. The pro-
vision for drawing Juries by commissioners
WAS omitted. leaving the law as at present
on the books. Penal offences were simph,;
fed and were made mi5demcanOrs instead
Of felOnies.
MODIFIED PUNISHMENT.
Punishments were modified, the highest
punishment imposed being three wears
imprisonment aut q fine OF cl.OuD rs
against imprisonment for five years and
fine Of 81 900 in the House bill. The
Judge Of the Circuit Court before whom
the application Il made for the appoint
Wcnt of supervisors IS authorized to APP
point a. supervisors any persons no may
see fit, rot being confined in his selection
to the list furnished 10y the Chief super
visor. Provision is made for the careful
control and specification Of fees that may
be charged by The supervisors. which are
less in the substitute than those named IN
the House bill.
IN THE WRONG BOX.
In cases where the ballots are cast in the
wrong box they are not to toe counted m
less the tally-shoet shows that the votes Tor
c0ncrcssnep do not equal the number Of
names on the poil-list. Then enough OF
votes So wrongly cast shall be added TO the
tally-sheet 10 make the total equal to the
whole number Of votes shown 70 be cast.
Where the election officers refuse 10 al
minister oaths TO the voters applying
therefor it is provided in the bill that the
supervisors shall administer tho oath and
keep the record thereof. But no etort
shall be made TO have the vote thus refused
east. the object being merely 10 preserve
Al4t i'~liiADii1 VI tilAA'.'NiNfAt 't'.'
SUPERVISION AND INSPECTION.
"The substance of law proposed by the
hill " said Senator Hoar to an Associated
Press reporter. "ls this: Whenever sppil-
cation Is made - q Judge Of circult
court for the inspection Of an election IN
any town OF city Of 10000 inhabitants or
upward. or any county. township, parish
or precinct officers may be appointed Tor
that purpose, three in each precnct, OF
whom not more than two shall be OF one
political party. II is made their duty. -
supervise. inspect. and witness the clcc-
ton. but the registration. and election,
and certifcatIon Of the result thereof are
left in the hands of the local authorities.
WHOLE STATE.
when the Inspection IS provided for the
whole conerossional district, however.
there shall be three State commissioners
appointed bv the court. not more than two
of whom shall he of one political party,
who shall issue a certificate Of the result
OF the election in that district. The Ger
tifcate thus made shall be used Nv the
Clerk Of the House in making up b. roll
Of the members.
A CoSGRFssMAN's CASE.
"Anvperson who shall make under oath n
statement that ne believes he IS entitled to
certificate Of election, may have hls case
examined by the Judge Of the Circuit
Court. IL the Judge finds that the certin-
care of the commissioners Is not correct
hc shall issue certificate, ana that
certificate shall be final nntil the case Is
.ss.s.