The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-12-06


very favored position towards the new and I'm.
portant commerce which the reciprocity clause
OF the tariff net and the postal shipping bill
are designed to promote. Steamship lines from
these ports to some northern port OF South
Anne rica will almost certainly effect q connec-
tion between the railroad systems Of the con-
tinents long before any continuous line OF rail-
roads can be put into operation. The very
large appropriation made at the last session for
the harbor OF Galveston was justified as 1t
seemed to me, by these considerations. The
great Northwest Will feel the advantage oftrunk
lines to the South as we'll as to the East and OF
the new markets opened for their surplus food
products, and for many Of their manufactured
products.
The enactment OF national bankrupt law I
still regard as very desirable. The constitution
having given to Congress jurisdiction OF this
subject 1t should be exercised and uniform
rules provided for the administration OF the af-
fairs OF insolvent debtors. The inconveni-
ences resulting from the occasional and tempo
rary exercise OF this power by Congress- and
from the conflicting State codes OF insolvency
which come into force intermediatey, should
be removed by the enactment OF simple, In
expensive and permanent national bank
rupt law.
also renew my recommendation in favor OF
legislation nffordng Just copyright protection
to foreign authors on footing of reciprocal adj
vantage for our authors abroad 1t may still be
possible for this Congress to inaururate, by
suitable Legislation, movement looking TO uni
formity and increased safety in the use of
couplers and brakes upon freight trains en-
gagged in inter State commerce. The chief diff
hculty in the way is to secure agreement as to
the best appliances, simplicity, effectiveness
and cost being considered. This difficulty will
only yield to legislation, which should bo based
upon full inquiry and impartial tests. The pur-
pose should be to secure the cooperation of all
wel-disposed managers and owners. but the
n "a mr. N
sacrifice Of 600 lives and the manning of 10000
young men, should plead both with Congress
and the managers against any needless de-
lay q
POSTAL TELEGRA PHI.
The use of the telegraph by the Post-offie De.
partment as n means Tor the rapid transmission
OF written communications is, believe upon
proper terms quite desirable The Government
does not own or operate the railroads and IL
should not think, own or operate the tele-
graph lines. 1t does, however, seem quito prac-
ticable for the Government to contract with the
telegraph companies, MS IL does with the rail.
road companies, to carry at specified rates such
communications as the senders may designate
for this method of transmission. 1 recommend
that such legislation be enacted as will enable
the Post-ofllce Department fairly to test by ex-
pertinent the advantages of such q use OF the
telegraph.
AS TO FEDERAL ELECTIONS
II any Intelligent and loyal company OF Amer
ican citizens were required to catalogue the es.
sential human conditions OF national life, do
not doubt that with absolute unanimity they
would begin With free and honest elections"
And it is gratifying to know generally there is
n growing and non-partisan demand for better
election laws. But against this sign OF hope
and progress must be set the depressing and
undenabe fact that election laws and methods
are sometimes cunningly contrived to secure
minority control, while violence completes tho
shortcomings of fraud.
In my last annual message suggested that
the development OF the existing law providing
Federal supervision Of Congressional elections
offered an effective method OF reforming these
abuses. The need of such law has manifested
itself in many parts of the country, and its
wholesome restrains and penalties will be use
full in all. The constitutionality of such legis-
lation has been affirmed by the Supreme Court.
Its probable effectiveness is evinced by the
character of the opposition that is made to 1t 1t
has been denounced as II IL were n 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 written or printed ballots; 1t has
provided for the appointment by the Circuit
courts in certain cities and npon the petition of
n certain number of citizens, OF election super
visors, and made 1t their duty to supervise tho
registration of voters conducted by the State
officers; TO challenge persons Offering TO regis
ter; to personally inspect and scrutinize tho
registry lists and to affix their names to the
lists for the purpose OF identification and the
prevention of frauds; to attend at
elections and remain with the boxes
till the votes arc all cast and
counted; to attach to the registry lists and
election returns any statement touching the
accuracy and fairness OF the registry and cleo
tion and to take and transmit to the clerk of the
pf n
fra udulent practices which may be presented
to them. The same law provides for the ap
poin of deputy United States marshals to
attend at the polls, suppo the supervisors in
the discharge OF their duties, and to arrest per-
sons violating the election laws. The provisions
OF this familiar title OF the revised statutes have
been put into exercise by both the great politi
cal parties, and in the North us well as In the
South, by the filing with the court Of the petit
tIons required by law.
1t is not therefore, n question whether we
shall have federal election law, for we now
have one and have had for nearly twenty years,
but whether we shall have an effective law.
The present law stops just short OF effective
ness, for it surrenders to the local authorities
all control over the certitlcation which estab-
fishes the prima facie right to seat in the
House of Repres entatives. This defect should
be cured. Equality OF representation and the
party of the electors must be maintained, or
everything 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, prcjudices 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 enticements Of fraud;
the count so true and open that none shall
gainsay II. Such q law should be absolutely |
non partisan and impartial 1t should give the
advantage TO honesty and the control to ma
iorities. Surely there is nothing sectional about
this creed and II 1t shall happen that the penal
here and not there, 1t is not because the law is
sectional, but because, happily, crime is local
and not universal. Nor should IL be forgotten
that every law, whether relating to elections or
to any other subject, whether enacted by the
State or by the Nation. has force behind It, The
courts, the marshal or constable, the posse COM
itatus, the prison, all and always behind the
law.
One can not be Justly charged with unfriend-
illness to any section or class who seeks only to
restrain violations OF law and of personal right.
No community will find lawlessness profitable.
No community can afford to have Il known that
the officers who are charged with the preserva-
tion of the public peace and the restraint OF tho
criminal classes are themselves the product of
fraud or violence. The magistrate is then with
out respect and the law without sanction. The
floods of lawlessness can not he leveed and
made to run in one channel The killing OF q
United States Marshal carrying n writ OF arrest
for an election offense is full of prompting and
suggestion to men who are pursued by a city
marshal for crime against life or property.
II the proposed law gives to any qualified
elector, by q hairs weight moro than his equal
or detracts by SO much
from any other qualified elector It is