Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-17
REEDS FEDERAL ELECTION LAW.

REEDS FEDERAL ELECTION LAW.
Contrary to the expressed belief of
Major Mckinley some days ago, caucus
of the house Republicans has decided
TO pass Federal election bill. The bill
agreed upon is dandy too. 1t provides
among other things that certificate of
election issued by a Federal supervisor
shall entitle the holder thereof to have
his name placed by the clerk of the house
upon the rolls thereof. That certificate
Is prima facie evidence of his right to a
seat, no matter whether elected or not,
The bill takes out of the hands of the
election officers the right to say in the
last resort who is or who is not elected.
We all know what that portends. We
all know that the supervisors will work
hard TO earn their appointment, and
justify the infamous law by granting
certificates to Republicans regardless of
the vote cast. To fail in doing SO would
be to damn the law in the most positive
manner, and with the law, the party re-
sponsible for it. The enactment of such
law means the returning by the super
visors created under it of a sufficient
number of Republican congressman from
Southern states to Offset the probable
losses elsewhere, and enable the Repub-
licans to still control both branches of con- |
gress. 1t is bold. daring and unscrupu
Gus move, move worthy only of the |
Turk or the Runip parliament in its |
palmiest days. 1t takes the election. of |
congressman out of the hands of the
people, and puts it in the keeping of
irresponsible tools and emissaries bound
to do the bidding of corrupt and con-
science scared political oligarchy. The
consequences of such a lew not only to
the people of the South, but to good
government, the public conscience, and
the ties that ought to bind all sections of
the Union in bond of common brother
hood and fellowship, will be deplorable
in the extreme. 1t is idle to enumerate
them. They Will suggest themselves to
the shsllowest thinker.
Owing to the knowledge we all had
that number of house Republicans
were opposed to such bill, it was conf
IDENTIFY believed that no serious attempt
would be made to enact one. But Reed
finally decided that party exigency called
for it, and that was enough. Party need
IS with him the voice of Color as the
rreVerent might say, of the other fellow.
The power of the caucus was invoked,
md the recalcitrant5 were dashed into
To oppose Reeds caucus
'ule is to court political extinction.
Hence the weak kneed brethren will
support the measure, and the only hope
or the people rests with the senate.
If it be true that number of Republic !
an senators are out of conceit with the
.utocrat of the house, and want only an
opportunity to take him down a peg,
hey will have it when he sends them his |
lection bill. II they want to head him |
II, and by doing SO, show the country
hat they are not 80 many clerks sta
10000
he purpose merely Of registering Reeds {
diets, they will throttle the most dan
erous measure which even his malevo-
INT ingenuity could devise. But if that
ope be false one and enough Republi- s
an senators cannot be found to vote with
he Democrats against the bill, 1t will q
ill be in the power of the latter to talk Il
he measure to death. They have no o
revious question in that body, no gag n
w preventing amendments or speech !
taking. The Democrats may exercise y
leir right to discuss the bill sd lib. and +,
= that means wear it out. That they a
i'll exercise every right and power with a
/ their reach to kill the viper, goes .
ithout saying. Ii