Daily Republican., 1890-03-20

The bill introduced into the National
House OF Representatives by MIR. Lodge
OF Massachusetts,, TO regulate the cleo
zion Of members OF Congress. will be
opposed by all the powtr rs and articles
Of the Democratic party, though 10
itself II can do nothing else than lead
to honest elections and higher moral
plane Of politics. The bill is more
permissive than obligatory. The law
need not be male applicable TO any
Congressional district unless five hun
dred voters petition tho United States
Judge of the district for il two months
prior TO the time of holding the elec.
lion. As the districts are now consti
luied, the mipimum number OF voters
In Q district is usually about thirty five
thousand. II would be rendered almost
certain that more than five hundred Of
that number OF voters could be found
who would II lett to themselves, Ia tae
kbscnce of intimidation. petition for iho
election to be held under The provisions
Of the Federal election laws.
The law further provides for the ap
pon,ment by the United States Judge,
Of registration and election officers TO
register the votes and Eupsrlnteud the
election, taking special care that the
minority shall be honestly represented
on registration and election boards.
The law still further provides that The
ballots are to 10 Uniform and printed
II the public expense, and the election
ls 10 be conducted under the most ap
proved plan OF the Auslrslisn system.
Booths TO secure the complete privacy
Of the voter IN preparing his vote are
70 DO provided, and any voter who
aesignedly makes known Tor whom
he voted, or any person inducing n
voler to show his marked ballot, lays
himself open 10 punishment by ilne
Of from fifty to five hundred dollars.
The law applhs TO Congressional dis
tricts north, as well as south and west.
No matter which party is in the mi
nority that party can apply to the
Federal Court for the election to be
beld under the provisions OF the
Federal law, provided SO few rs five
hundred voters apply for ii.
There is, however, no need 10 say
that the intention OF the bill II ii be-.
comes a law is TO make an effort to
have honest elections in the Southern
States where elections rs now held are
but farce and travesty on Justice
A favorite method in the South to
prevent the colored vote from being
cast 10 not to open polls sufficient for
the people to cast their votes, as in
Chatham county, Georgia, In which
Savannah Ia located. This county ia
thirty miles long and yet but one cleo.
ton poll was opened In 1t. OF course
those only who had means to take
.ha.., 10 .i,a reiis oaotd vote ,.h'ia ~
masses who could not reach The poll
were dIsfruncbised. Under tho Lcdga
bill ths federal court can open suiii-
rient number of polling pllees to
enable all the people 10 vote. There Is
not the least dog!t that every aFiiiice
will be resorted 10 to make this law
nugatory II 1t becomes a law, aud in
many places in the South, may be met
with actual violence, but that ia nc
reason why it should not &c put in
operation.
The Southern people have heen per.
nitted for many years 10 do as they
pleased, in the vain hope aud expecta.
lion that they would in time bs dis
posed 10 }ct some" here near honeat in
holding their elections. These hope;
have been blasted and these expccta-
lions have not been realized. All tht
lime they are diyerging oil from tn
real Track oil honesty They ale law
breasers TO the extent Of conioninI
Murder, as in the case of The murde
OF CA-<ion in Arkansas and Sander
in Florida. There is no use wailin
longer for these people of their ow
volition 10 hold honest elections. ant
without honest elections the perma
nency and peace OF the nation will b
ieopsrdized Fraudulent elections i
the South have sent fraudulent ms
iorilles to Congress too long alresdy
and II the South does not intend t
submit 10 such reasonable thing o
honest elections, that fact cannot
known too soon.