Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-25
FEDERAL ELECTIONS.
The Bill Reported by Mr. Hoar In the
Senate Yesterday.


The federal election bill reported by Senator
Hoar yesterday from the privileges and cleo
tions committee is q very elaborate measure
and provides with great detail and minute ness
q scheme Of national supervision Of elections.
II differs widely from the Lodge bill and 1t is
essentially government supervisory measure.
The bill is a strictly party one, and it is so
reported by the committee, the democratic
members being utterly opposed to the meas
ure, both in detail and as whole. The re-
publican members Of the committee reserve
the right to offer amendments to the bill 1t
provides that the chief supervisors OF cleo
tons now in Office, their successors and such
chief supervisors as may hereafter be APP
pointed, shall be charged in their respective
judicial districts. both in person and through
the supervisors Of election, who may be ap-
pointed with the supervision OF congressional
election with the enforcement OF the national
election laws and with the prevention Of
fraud and irregularities in naturalization
Whenever in any city having 10000 inhab-
itants or upwards, or in any congressional dis
trlct not in such city, 100 or more quallned
voters shall petition the chief supervisor, al
leging that there is danger that unless the cleo
ton is guarded it will not be fair and free, the
chief supervisor shall forthwith forward the
petition to the United States circuit judge for
the district, thereupon it shall be the duty of
the Judge to open court for the purpose of trans
acting all business pertaining to registration or
election matters as may by any United States
law there be transacted The court, when SO
opened, shall be always open for the transact
ton OF such business until the second day sue.
ceeding the election and the judge may exer-
else his powers either in open court or in
chambers. ANY male citizen of good charac-
ter. voter in the district and able to read and
write the English language, shall be eligible to
appointment as an election supervisor.
M ar
sional district shall be petitioned for the fact
shall be published by the chief supervisor in at
least two papers in the district thereupon, on
the day of election the state or local election
officers in each election district shall present
to the supervisors of elections in their districts
the statements heretofore required to be made.
The supervisors shall compare these returns
with their own canvass. If they find them to
be correct they shall certify, in duplicate,
and if incorrec. shall certify in what particu-
lars, and also state all facts within their
knowledge bearing upon the fairness Of
the election. Minute and elaborate di-
rections are provided for with regard
to the enclosure. sealing and mailing Of
these duplicate statement one to the United
States board Of canvassers, hereafter provided,
and the other to the circuit court clerk for the
district. This board of canyassers is to con-
sist OF three persons OF good repute to be ap-
pointed by the United States circuit Judge upon
the receiving from the chief supervisor of cleo
tlonS the pttltlon requesting supervision OF
the entire district. Not more than two of them
shall belong to the same political party and
they shall each receive Sl5 day and So day
for personal expenses. Their clerk shall re-
ceive 80 DAY. The board shall convene on
the Monday following the day of congress
sional election to finally canvass and tabulate
the votes certified to them. They are au-
thorized to require correction OF i'm
perfect certificates or statements and
to make investigation as to the correctness Of
any certificate and to administer oaths and take
testimony of supervisors. The determination
of the result of any election arrived at by any
board of canvassers shall be at once made pub
lie. One copy Of the certificate declaring the
result shall be filed with the chief supervisor
one forwarded to the person found to have
been elected. and copies also forwarded to the
clerk of the House and to the Secretary Of
State of the United States. These certificates
shall constitute credentials Of the person found
to have been elected.
The bill further provides that every person
charged with any duty with regard to any cleo
ton OF member Of Congress who shall wilfully
and for the purpose Of effecting the election
commit any fraud thereon shall be liable on
conviction to a fine of not exceeding $4,000 or
to imprisonment not exceeding five years, or
both. The same penalty is provided for bribery
or attempted bribery of voters. The Austria
lian ballot system finds no place in the provi-
sions of the bill, except that it is provided that
no state shall be prevented by the provisions
Of the bill from printing ballots at public ex-
voter from observation and to keep his vote
secret. Wherever an election of member of
Congress is held at the same time with the
election of any other officer there shall be upon
each box for which ballots for members of Con-
gress are cast a suitable label or inscription.