Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-20
rrRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT

lfhOh A STAFF CORREsfONDENI-l
WASHINGTON, March 19.-With regard
to his Federal election bill, recently intro,
duced, Representative Lodge, of Massachu-
sets, said to-day: "My bill to regulate
Congressional elections is long, but, on ex-
animation, it will be found to be very simple
in principle and operation. Its length is
due to its provisions for the Massachusetts
system of balloting. These provisions can
not well be stated, although, as shown in
the Massachusetts, elections, nothing could
be simpler than they are in practical opera
tion. The bill proceeds on two principles
that the United States should take complete
charge of the election of the United States
Congressman as the States of the election of
State officers, and that voting should be
carried on upon the Australian or Massa-
chusetts system, by secret or official ballot.
There is a widespread belief, whether well
or ill-founded, that the Congressional cleo
tions are improperly affected by corruption
or intimidation at the polls or by fraud in
the registration of the count"
THE PROPER PANACEA.
''The former evils are met by the Massachu-
sets system of balloting, and the latter by
the United States taking charge of the cleo
tion OF its own officers and registering,
counting and returning the vote. The bill
is absolutely fair as between the parties and
entirely national in its application. The
election officers are to be appointed in equal
numbers from the two leading parties by
the Judge of the United States Court, who
is permanent officer, and to be relied on to
appoint proper representatives of both
parties
"These election officers have party in
terest in seeing that no unfair advantage is
taken at the election, and they are exposed
to heavy penalties for misconduct. They
have the power to assist voters unable to
read or write, but this assistance must be
given in the presence of the officers of the
opposition party and the penalties for dis
closure are very severe. Every provision is
made to secure absolute fairness between the
parties, and unless some party or person is
now profting by cheating at elections there
should be no objection to the bill.
NOT ABSOLUTELY COMPULSORY.
mo district under this bill is compelled
TO adopt the system except on the petition
OF 500 voters, and unless there was real
need for putting the district under this act
this number could not as rule be
easily secured. The Massachusetts, ballot
meets the evils usually charged upon
elections in the North. The control OF
elections by officers of the United States
taken equally from both parties meets the
evils attributed to elections in the South.
Thus it will be seen that the bill is dis
tinctly national. 1t does not strike at any
section, but at the evils which beset our
elections everywhere. 1 believe that it is
in line with the general demand of the
people that the elections of Congressman
should be fair and above suspiclon, and
that there is no question of greater moment
now before the country" Mr.. Lodge is OF
the opinion that the bill will be passed by
the House without much trouble OF
course, he expects opposition from the
Democrats, but he does not think that |
under the new rules it will be of an obstruc-
i've nature. LIGHTNER.