The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-12-02


lnGnd for tho use OF these lands for aprl
culture, but out oil tho, danger that III,
water supply and tue sites for tho neces
gary ca'cii.basinB may fall into the handt
otindivlluals or private corporations aud
Dc used to render subservient the large
areas dependent upon euch supply. The
owner OF the water Is the owner OF the
lands, however tho titles may run. All
nnappropriatcd natural water sources
anu oil necessary reservoir sites should
De held by the government for tho equal
use, at fair rates, OF the homestead SGT.
lands.
The United States should not, in my
opinion, undertake the construction Of
dams or canals, but should limit It's
work to such surveys and observations
US Will determine the water supply,
both surface and sublerranean, the areas
capable Of irrigation, and the location
and storage capacity OF reservoirs. This
done, the uso OF the water and of the
reservoir sites might be granted 10 the
respective States or Territories, or to
individuals or associations upon the
condition that the necessary works
should be constructed and tho water
furnished ut fair rates, without discrim.
nation, the rates to BIO subject to super.
vision by tho Legislatures or by Boards
oil Water Commissioners duly const.
tlited. The essential thing TO DO 20.
CURED Is the common and equal use Mt
fair rates OF tho accumu lated water sun.
ply. 1t were almost better that these
lands should remain aridthan that those
who occupy them should become the
slaves OF unrestyained monopolies con.
trolling tho one essential element OF
land values and crop results.
A POSTAL TELEGRAPH.
The use OF the telegraph by the Post.
Office Department as q means for the
rapid transmission Of wilton communi.
cations is, | believe, upon proper terms
quite desirable. The government does
not own or operate the railroads and it
should not, think, own or operate the
Telegraph lines. 1t does, however, seem
to BIO quite practicable for the govern.
ment to contract with the telegraph
companies, rs 1t does with the railroad
companies, to carry at specified rates
such communications rs the senders
may designate for this method OF trans.
mission. l recommend that such lerjs.
latlon be enacted as will enable the
Postotlice Department fairly to test BY
experiment the advantages OF such use
OF the telegraph.
FREE AND HONEST ELECTIONS.
Ii any intelligent aud loyal company
OF American citizens were REQUIRED to
the essential human condition
OF national lie, l do not doubt that with
absolute humanity they would begin
with 'free aud honest election" and il
Is gratifying to know that generally there
Is growing and non.p partisan demand
for better election laws. But against
this sign OF hope ana progress must be
set the depressing and undeniab!e fact
that election laws and methods are some.
times cunningly contrivcd to secure
minority control, while violence com.
plates tho short comings OF fraud.
In my last annual message suggested
that the development Of The existing law
federal supervision OF Con.
gressional elections offered an effective
OF reforming these abuses The
need OF such law has manifested itself
in many parts OF the country and i.s
wholesome restraints and penalties will
be usefulin all. The constitu,ionalitv
Of such legislation has been affirmed by
tho sGprame Court. It's probable effect.
iveness is evidenced by the character Of
the opposition that is maize 10 it. Ithas
been denounced as il it were new eX.
e.clse OF federal power and an invasion
Of the rights OF the States. Nothing
could be further from the truth. Con.
gress has already fixed the time for
the election OF mcmbelsoi Congress-. Il
has been declared that votes for mem.
bers OF Congress must be by written or
printed ballot; it has been provided for
the appointment by the Circuit Court in
certain cases, and upon the petition OF a
certain number OF citizens, of election
Supervisors, and made i. their duty to
supervise the registration OF voters con.
Quoted by the State officers; to challenge
persons offering to register; to personally
Inspect and scrutlnize the registry lists
and to ailix their names to the lists for
the purpose of identification aud the
prevention OF frauds; to attend at eIec.
tions and remain with the boxes till the
votes are all cast and counted; to attach
TO the registry lists and election returns
any statement touching the accuracy
and fairness OF the registry and election.
and to take aud transmit TO the Clerk OF
the House Of Representatives any eyi.
deuce OF fraudulent practices which NAV
be presented to them. The same Inv
provides for the appointment OF Deputy
United States NIarshals to attend at the
polls, support the Supervisors in the dis.
Charge other duties and to arrest persons
violating the election laws. The pro.
visions OF the familiar title of the revised
statutes have been put into exercise by
both the great po!i:ica! parties, and in
the North as well as in the South by the
filing with the court OF the petitions
required by the law. It is not therefore
a question whether We shall have a
federal election law. for We now have
OhS AhN Law bIu kOi uGJTIy twenty
years, but whether We shall have an
effective law. The present law stops lust
short OF effectiveness, for it surrenders to
the local authorities all control over
the cer,ifcation which establishes the
p1Ima facie, right to a seat in the House
OF Representatives, and this defect
should be cured. Equality OF repre-
sentation and the partly 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, preiudices or fears Of any class.
however powerful. The path OF the
elector to the ba!lot.box must be free
from the ambush OF fear and the entice-
ments OF fraud; the count 80 true and
open that none shall gainsay it. Such
law should bs absolutely non-partisan
and impartial, 1t shouM pive the nd.