The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1890-09-19
The EedernI ELECTION RilI.

Hon. Henry Cabot Lodge and Grand
Master Workman Powderly discuss In
The North American Review Mr..
Lodges famous national election bill.
Mr.. Lodge says hts bill simply provides
for the appointment Of United States Of
hcers, selected from the two leading po.
htical parties, to watch over and report
upon naturalization, registration, the
conduct of the congressional election,
the count of the ballots and the certifca-
ton Of the members. These officers have
no power to interfere. Their only duty
Is to protect the honest voter, secure evi-
dence to punish wrong doers and make
public every fact in connection with the
election.
The whole purpose Of the law may be
summed up In one word-"publicity."
When on petition of hundred persons
In any city of 10000 inhabitants or up
ward, or petition of fifty persons In any
congressional district that has no town
Of 10000 inhabitants or upward, the law
goes into effect, then the chief supervisor
of elections appoints deputy supervisors
and the other officers named. These mako
returns of the election to United
States board Of canvassers, and it issues
certificate to the candidate who from
these returns seems to be elected. In
case their candidate is not the same as
the one declared elected by the local au-
thorities, then Of course the certificate
of the national board takes preference,
and their candidate is declared elected.
Still, the defeated man has recourse to
the circuit court Of the United States.
Such are the leading provisions Of
what has been called the Force bill"
Mr.. Lodge says Of it;
The president of the United States has from the
beginning Of the government had power to use
the army and navy In support Of the laws Of the
United States and this general power was ex-
plicitly conferred many years ago in that portion
of the Revised Statutes which now comes under
the title "clvi rights" The present bill neither
adds TO nor detracts from that power, and as the
liberties of the country have been safe under It
for at least twenty years 1t Is not TO be appre-
hepded that they will now be In danger.
The real objection TO the bill comes from the
fact that one OF the two great parties believes
that free elections imperil their power They
know that by this bill the United States officers,
taken from both parties, are appointed by the
courts, the body farthest removed from politics.
They know that these United States officers Will
be held in check by local officers, and be utterly
unable to interfere with the proper conduct of
the election. But they know also that the result
will be publicity, and they believe that In conse-
Quence of publicity many districts will be lost to
them This law Is as fair to one party as another;
but II one party Is cheating, that party will suf-
fer, and where the cry against the law Ia loudest
It is tho best evidence Of Its necessity and proves
that those who resist 1t profit by the wrongdoiDg
| which 1t seeks to cure.
| The constitution of the United States promises
| squal representation to the people, and 1t makes
/ the negro O citizen. Equality Of representation
| has been destroyed by the system In the south
| which makes vote there outweigh i've or st1
votes In the north, and the negro has been do
| prived Of tho rights the nation gave. No people
can AFFORD to stand quiet and see its charter Of
| government made q dead letter; and no wrong
| can endure and not be either cured or expiated
Fair elections north and south vital TO the re
public. II we fail to secure them or we permit
any citizen, no matter how humble, to be wrong
ID we shall atone for II to the last 1ot and title.
Master Workman Powderly is opposed
to the Federal election law for many
reasons. One Is that 1t will give toC
much power to the nine chief super
visors, one for each judicial district II
the Union. Each Of the nine will b,
able to dictate the nominations of hi
party In his district. Mr.. Powderly, be
longing to neither political party, says:
The fault does not lie with the people, and tbei
rights should not be abridged. There is not on
mnn on the floor Of congress today who can cor
scientiously or truthfully say that during the car
yass which ended In his election he did not resor
| n M act n Order To Qaf yOtas ar n Drs
vent losing them The aspirants for Office are tn
men who debauch the voters, and the indignatio
manifested on the floor Of congress during the dt
bates on the federal election bill came with
very poor grace from many who owe
their seats to little tricks, illegal use c
money, false representations and the use
liquor. The federal election bill provides that,
more ballots are found in the congressional be
than there voters In the election district, IL
| supervisor and inspector shall be blndfoded an
draw out a number Of ballots sufficient TO equ
the excess Two wrongs mover make rtghti
nnd more ballots than voters proves that illeg
votes have been cast, but 1t does not right Il
wrong TO draw the tickets out indiscriminate
1t should first be ascertained who cast the nleg
ballots and then such tickets should be remov'
or another election called
The trainers Of the bill made no attempt
deny that 1t was introduced because Of the
, timidation Of the negro voters Of the south, al
thsre Ia no doubt that colored citizens In MAJ
/.
their rights In being driven from the polls by Z
Democratic Notwithstanding their deprtvati
Of the right to vote the colored men are repi
sented In congress by the men who deprived the
Of the right TO vote, or who were parties TO Z
wrong. The constitution Of the United Btat
makes provision for such emergencies, II I read
Alright, where IL says;
but when the right TO vote at any election I
the choice Of electors for president and vi
president Of the United States, representatives
congress, the executive and judicial officers Of
state, or the members Of the legislature there
Is denied TO any OF the male Inhabitants Of su
state, being 81 years OF age and oitisens Of
United States, or In any way abridged, except
d participation In rebellion other crime the ba
Of representation therein shall be reduced In Z
: proportion which the number OF such male q
Z Eens shall bear TO the whole number Of male q
Hens ~ years Of age in such state"
It seems to me that the proper thing to do, at
the fact Ia established that a number OF neg
citizens are not allowed 70 vote, Is to base
representation in congress from ths district
state on the number who exercise the right
suffrage therein