The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-07-17
The Election Bill.
From the Chicago Times.


Federal supervisors of congressional
elections have been employed for more
than twenty years; deputy United
States marshals of the Black Jack
Yattaw kind have drawn their revolv-
ers in like elections and killed their
man for the benefit of the Republican
party, and have gone scot free in con-
sequence, but the election measure
which has just passed the house de-
spite the protest of the entire Demo
cratic party and a respectable but
small minority of Republicans is a
radical departure. We may discern
now the real eagerness of Republicans
| arbitrarily to dispossess Democrats Of
their seats. They did not feel that
for every partisan purpose they could
command the united support of Re-
publican congressman duly elected,
and that their working majority might
be secure they gave seats to contest
ing Republicans, upon whose graft
tude and complete subserviency they
co aid rely.
The house measure, which may fail
in the senate through the obstinacy
OF Democratic members of that body,
provides for federal-that is, under
present circumstances, Republican,
supervision of all congressional cleo
tions in any district where such SUI
pervision is asked by at least 100 vot-
ers therein. Such supervision asked,
supervisors are appointed whose nom
lnal duty is to prevent frauds of regis
tration, of naturalization. of castiug
and OF counting, but whose real DUTY.
as they will understand it, is to look
particularly to the interest of Repub-
lican candidates. There is to be at
every poll in federally supervised dis
trict a separate congressional box.
In many of the states the effort has
been made to secure secret ballot.
The provision of the federal law is for
an open ballot as to congressman,
for supervisors are to inspect all
ballots as Bthey are cast, to
keep a tally thereof, to oversee the
local count and make return thereof.
The supervisors are to note whether
there is any difference between the
local count and their own. There is
provision for canvassing board to be
by the United States circuit
court, which may or may not be such
a returning board as Wells conducted
in Louisiana. The finding of this
board is to be sent to the clerk OF the |
house of representatives, and is to be
binding upon him no matter what re-
turn may be made to him by the gov
ernor of State. The clerk is Re.
publican, and the house may be
on Federal supervisors GER
titicates of election. If contest be
made after such organization it must
be done before hostile committee.
What the Republican sense of justice
and fairness in matters of this kind is
we have had evidence enough at the
present session, when Democrats have
been unseated quite as a matter of
course. Why not? They were
Democrats.
The whole scheme, which if not I'm
is novel and unusual, is
taken in pursuance of the speakers
demand that we do "our" own regis
tration, "our" own counting, and
'our" own certifying. 1t is a device
for counting the Republican party in
power through the manipulation OF
elections.
The supposition is that in clearly
districts this elaborate
and expensive machinery will not be
set i'll motion. Herein mistake is
made. A horde of supervisors and
deputy marshals must be appointed in
avery congressional district upon the
application of 100 electors. This does
not exceed the number of expectants
n every district for dash at the fed
,ral pay roll, and if the law pass the
employment of this federal machinery
will be general.