The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-25
ASWARM OF PARTY SPIES
OUTLINE OF THE BILL FOR SUPER
vISING ELECTIONS.

Entirely NEW one.
WASHINGTON, April 24.-The federal
election bill reported by Senator Hoar to-
day from the privileges and elections COM
mittee is a very elaborate measure, and
provides with great detail and minuteness a
scheme of national supervision of elections.
It differs widely from the Lodge bill, and it
is essentially a government supervisory
measure The bill is strictly a party
measure as it is reported by the
committee, the democratic members being
utterly opposed to the measure, both in de-
tail and as a whole. The republican men,
bers of the committee reserve the right to
offer amendments to the bill. 1t provides
that the chief supervisors OF elections now
in Office, their successors and such chief
supervisors as may hereafter be appointed,
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 congress
sional elections, with the enforcement of
the national election laws and with the pre-
vention Of fraud and irregularities in natu-
raliZation.
HOW THEY MAY BE CALLED ON.
Whenever in any city having 10000 in
habitants or upward, or in any congress
sional district not i'll such city, 100 or more
qualified voters shall petition the chief su-
pervisor, alleging that there is danger that
unless the election is guarded it will not be
fair and free, the chief supervisor shall
forthwith forward a petition to the United
States circuit Judge for the district, there
upon, it shall be the duty of the judge to
open the court for the purpose of trans
acting all business pertaining to regis
tration or election matters as may, by
any United States law there be transacted.
The court when so open shall be always
open for the transaction of such business
until the second day succeeding the election,
and the judge may exercise his powers
either in ouen court or in chambers. Any
male citizen of good character, a voter in
the district, and able to read and writs the
English language shall be eligible to ap-
pointment as an election supervisor.
POWER OF THE SUPERVISORS
These supervisors are given full power to
inspect the allot-boxes, make return of
the registration and verify the registry lists,
canvas the ballots and certify to the re-
turns. Whenever the supervision of an
entire congressional district shall be petit
toned for the fact shall be published by the
chief supervisor in at least two papers in
the district. Thereupon on the day of cleo
ton the state or local election officers in
each election district shall present to the
supervisors of elections in their districts
the statement heretofore required to be
made. The supervisors shall compare these
returns with their own canvass If they
find them to be correct they shall so certify,
in duplicate. and if incorrect shall certify
in what particulars and also state all the
facts within their knowledge bearing upon
the fairness of the election. Minute and
elaborate directions are provided for with
regard to the inclosure, sealing and mailing
Of these duplicate statements, one to the
United States board of canvassers, here
after provided, and the other to the circuit
court clerk for the district.
THE BOARD OF CANvAssERs.
This board of canvassers is to consist of
pointed by the United States circuit judge,
upon receiving from the chief supervisor of
elections petition requesting supervision
of the entire district. but not more than
two of them shall belong to the same polit-
ical party.
In short, the entire machinery for con-
Quoting an election is provided in the bill,
and every contingency that might arise is
anticipated. The bill provides that when
ever it shall appear by affidavit that errors
have occurred in the determination of any
board of cauvassers the circuit court may
require the board to correct such errors, or
show cause why correction should not be
made; and where the board shall have been
dissolved it may require it to reconve ne.
PENALTIES PROVIDED.
Every person charged with any duty with
regard to any election of member of con-
gress, who shall wilfully and for the purpose
of affecting the election commit any fraud
thereon shall be liable on conviction to a
fine of not exceeding SIS, 900 or to imprison-
ment not exceeding five years, or both.
The same penalty is provided for bribery or
attempted bribery of voters.
The Australian ballot system finds no
place in the provisions of the BILL except
that it is provided that no state shall be
prevented by the provisions of the bill from
printing ballots at the public expense, or
providing regulations to screen each voter
from observation and to keep his vote
secret. Whenever an election of a member
of congress is held at the same time with
the election of any other officer there shall
be upon each box for which the ballots for
members of congress are cast suitable
label or inscription.
THE REPUBLICANS DIVIDED.
1t is more and more evident that it will
be difficult, if not impossible. for the repub-
licans to pass a national election law in spite
OF the declarations in favor OF it made by
the President and all the party leaders in
congress with rare exceptions. The an
nouncement by Chairman Rowell OF the
committee on elections in the House repub-
lican caucus last night, that he had a
national election law which he preferred to
Mr.. Lodges split the republicans of the
House in two, SO that it will be hard to get
them together again.
HOW THEY STAND.
The best of those who believe that there
should be some legislation favor Mr.. Lodges
bill on account of the Australian ballot
feature. The rest favor Mr.. Rowells
scheme. which is like that embodied in the
Dill finally reported to-day by the House for
tne majority of the Senate committee on
elections extending and strengthening the
supervisor system so as to put Johnny"
davenport in every congressional district.
Inc House bill, which is twenty-five printed
pages long, has no other recognition for the
main feature of Mr.. Lodges bill except the
gracious permission In the last few lines to
the states to adopt the Australian system if
they wish.
HoAR'S BILL THE MOST SIMILAR.
Ihis is, of course, just so much more than
Is Is TO be found in either Mr.. Chandler's or
Mr. Snerman's bill, but nevertheless Mr..
Tloar's Dill Is more like theirs than like Mr..
Lodges 1t Is interesting to note that MIR.
aoars Dill is the administration measure,
having been submitted to and approved by
Ihe PRESIDENT, but this will make no particu-
lar difference in its consideration. With