Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-12-05

29, 1902 pounds, and the total in
crease i'll the value Of meat and dair,
products exported being 1914 600, ,OOO
This trade so directly helpful to tn,
farmers it is believed will be yet fur
ther and more largely increased wheI
the system OF inspection and sanitar,
supervision now prescribed by law il
brought fully into operation. The ef
forts of the secretary to establish the
healthfulness of our meats against the
disparaging imputations that have
been put on them abroad, have result
ell in substantial progress. Veterinary
surgeons, sent out by the department
are now allowed to participate in the
inspection of the live cattle of this
country landed at English docks. and
during the several months they have
been on duty, no case OF contagious
pleurO-pneumonia has been reported.
This inspection abroad and the domes-
tic inspection of live animals and pork
products provided for by the act of
August 90, 1890, will afford as perfect
Il guaranty for the wholesomeness of
our meats offered for foreign consump-
tion rs is in anywise given to any food
products, and its non-acceptance will
quite clearly reveal tine real motive Of
any continued restriction of their use
That having been made clear the duty
of the executive will be very plain.
BEET-sUGAR INDUSTRY.
The information given by the secre-
tary OF the progress and the prospects
of the beet-sugar industry is full of in
terest. 1t has already passed the ex-
perimental stage, and is a complete
commercial success. The area over
which the sugar-beet can he success
fully grown is very large, and another
field crop of great value is offered to
the choice of the farmer. The Secre-
tary Of the treasury concurs in the re-
commentator of the Secretary of Ag-
riculturc that the official supervision
provided by the tariff law for sugar OF
domestic production shall be transfer
red to the Department of Agriculture.
FEDERAL ELECTION LAW.
If any intelligent and loyal company
of American citizens were required to
catalogue the essential human cOndi-
tions of natural life, l do not doubt
that with the absolute unanimity they
would begin with "free and honest
and it is gratifying to know
that generally there is growing and
demand for better elec-
ton laws, but against this sign OF
hope and progress must be set the de-
pressing and undeniable fact that cleo
ton laws and methods are sometimes
contrived to insure minor
ity control, while violence completes
the shOrtcoming of fraud. In my last
annual message l suggested that the
adoptment of the existing law provid-
ing federal supervision of congress
iOnal elections offered an effective
method of reforming these abuses.
The need of such law has manifest
ed itself in many parts OF the country,
and its wholesome restraints and PEN
alties will be useful in all. The con-
stitutionality of such legislation has
been affirmed by the supreme court.
Its probable effectiveness is evidenced
by the character of the opposition that
is made to it. 1t has been denounced
as il it were q new exercise of federal
power and an envasion of the rights of
the states. Nothing could be further
from the truth. Congress has already
fixed the time for the election of men,
bers of congress. II has been declared
that the vote for members of congress
must he by written or printed ballots.
1t has provided for 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
to register; to personally in
spect and scrutinizc the registry lists
and afiix their names to the lists for
the purpose of identification and the
Of frauds; to attend to cleo
tons and remain with the boxes un-
til the votes are all cast and counted;
to attach to the registry lists and elec-
ton returns any statement touching
the accuracy and fairness of the regis
try and elections; to take and trans
nit to the clerk of the House Of Rrep-
any evidence or fraudu-
lent practices which may be presented
to them.
The same law provides for the ap-
pointment of deputy United States
marshals to attend at the polls, sup
port the supervisors in the discharge
OF their duties and to arrest persons
the election laws. The pro-
visions of this familiar title of the re-
vised statutes have been put into exer-
else by both great political parties, in
the North as well as the South, by the
filing with the court of the petitions
required by law. 1t is not, therefore.
a question whether we shall have a
federal election law, for we now have
one and have had for nearly twenty
years, but whether we shall have an
law.
The present law stops just short of
for it surrenders to the
local authorities all control over the
which establishes the
prima tacie right to u seat in the House
of Representatives. This defect should
be cured. Equality of representation