The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1890-09-18
AN uNHoLY MEASURE


Counting and Certifying.
Federal supervisors Of Congressional
elections have been employed for more
than twenty years.; deputy United
States marshals Of the Black Jack Yatr
taw kind have drawn their reviewers in
like. elections and killed their mar for
the benefit Of the Republican party, and
have gone scot-free in CONSEQUENCE. but
the election measure which has Just
passed the House despite the pro-
test OF the entire Democratic
party and respectable but small
minority Of Republicans is rad
ical departure. We may discern now
the real eagerness OF Republicans arbi-
trarily to dispossess Democrats OF their
seats. They did not feel that for every
partisan purpose they could command
the united support OF Republican Con-
gressmen duly elected, and thatstheir
working majority might be secure they
gave seats to contrasting Republicans,
upon whose gratitude and complete sub
serviency they could rely.
The House measure, which may fail
in the Senate through the obstinacy of
Democratic members Of that body. pro-
yides for Federa14that is, under pres
emit circumstances, Republican--super-
vision OF all Congressional elections in
any district where such supervision is
asked by at least one hundred voters
therein. Such supervision asked, super
visors are appointed whose nominal
duty is to prevent frauds of registration,
of naturalization, of casting and OF
counting, but whose real duty, as they
will understand it, is to look particular
~ to the interest of Republican candi-
dates. There Is 70 be at every poll in a
Federally supervised district separate
Congressional box. In many Of the
States, the effort has been made to se-
cure secret ballot The provision OF
the Federal law is for an open ballot
as to Congressman, for supervisors are
to inspect all ballots as they are cast,
to keep tally thereof, to oversee the
local count and make return thereof.
The supervisors are to note whether
there is any difference between the
local count and their own. There is
provision for canvassing board to be
appointed by the United States Circuit
Court, which may or may not be such a
returning board as Wells conducted in
Louisiana. The finding of this board is
to be sent to the clerk Of the House Of
Representatives, and Is to be binding
upon him No matter what return may
be made to him by the Governor OF a
State. The clerk is Republican, and
the House may be organized on Federal
supervisors certificates of election. II
contest be made after such organization
it must be done before hostile COM
mittee. What the Republican sense of
Justice and fairness in matters of this
kind is we have had evidence enough
at the present session, when Democrats
have been unseated quite as matter
Of course. Why not? They were Demo
Gratis.
There is provision at the end of the
act that any State, if it shall see fit
may provide by law that ballots shall
be provided at the public expense con-
tanning the names of such candidates as
may have been nominated by qualified
voters in the district, and providing
suitable regulations for ascertaining
such nomination and for screening from
observation the ballot OF each voter and
keeping the same secret. This sugges-
tion of the Australian system is rem
dered nugatory, however, by the require
ment of the same bill that supervisors
shall keep correct tally of the votes
cast inspecting them as they are cast,
and noting for whom they are given.
The whole scheme, which If not un-
constitutional is novel and unusual, is
taken in pursuance of the Speakers de-
| mand that we do 'our" own registra-
| ton .eur"- own counting and -..onro
| own certifying. 1t is device for con-
tinuing the Republican party in power
through the manipulation of Congress
sionaleleetions.
The superstition is that in clearly Re-
publican districts this elaborate and
expensive machinery will not be set in
motion. Herein mistake is made. A
horde of supervisors and deputy mar
shals must be appinted in every Con-
gressiolaat district upon the application
of one hundred electors. This does not
exceed he number of expectants in
every d riet for dash at the Federal
payroll, and if the law pass the employ
ment OF is Federal machinery will be
general. gbicago Times.