Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-07-24
AN unnoLY MEASURE.
RsP1hlIcans Bound to Do Their s-Own"
Counting and Certifying.

AN UNhOlY MEASURE.
Rsp.hlIc.ns Bound to Do Their .-Own"
Counting and CerttfyinE.
Federal supervisors of Congressional
elections have been employed for more
than twenty years; deputy United
States marsha1s of the Black Jack Vat
tAw kind have drawn their revolvers in
like elections and killed their man for
the benefit of the Republican party, and
have gone scot-free in consequences. but
tbs election measure which has just
passed the House despite the pro-
test of the entire Democratic
party and a respectable but small
minority of Republicans is a 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 that their
wor king majority might be secure they
gave seats to 7contesting Republicans,
upon whose gratitude and complete sub
servieacy they could rely
The House measure, which may fail
in the Senate through the obstinacy Of
VI Ni1aS wy. pEO-
vides for Federal-that is. under pres
ent 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
ly Sd the interest of Republican candi-
dates. There is to he at every poll in a
Federally supervised district separate
| Congressional box. In many q the
States. the effort has been made to Sc
cure a 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 sep a tally thereof, to oversee the
| local count and make a return thereof
The supervisors are to note whether
there is any difference between the
| local count and their own There is
provision for a 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 z
State. The clerk is Republican. and
the House may be organized on Federal
| supervisors certificates of election II
contest be made after such organization
| 1t must be done before a 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 Democrat {:
| have been unseated quite as a matter
of course. Wig not? They were Demo
| Gratis.
There is provision at the end q the
act that any State, if it shall see fit
may provide by law that ballots eihal
be provided at the public expense con
tanning the names of such candidates a:
may have been nominated by qualified
voters in Che district, and providing
suitable regulations for ascertainine
such nomination and for screening from
observation the ballot of each voter ant
keeping the same secret This sugges
ton of the Australian system is rem
derea nugatory. however, by the req ire
ment of the same bill that supervisor
shall keep 8correce tally of the vote,
cast, inspecting them as they are cast
and noting for whom they are given
The whole scheme, which if not un
constitutions is novel and unusual,
taken in pursuance of the Speakers de
mand ehAt we do ''our" own registra
eion, ''our" own counting, and cur
Swn certifying. It is device for con
tinuing the Repu blican party in Sowe
through the manipulation o. Congress
sional elections.
The supposition is thSt in clearly =
publican districts this elaborate and
expensive machiner1 will cot be es1 il
motion. Herein mistake is made.
horde g supervisors and deputy mar
shals must 10 appinted in every Con
Gressional district upon the applicatiot
Of one hundred electors. This does no
exceed the number of expectantss il
every district for a dash at the Fedora
FSy-roll, and if the law pass theemploy
ment of this Federal machinery will b
II Eeneral-Chicago Times.