The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-08-01
FORCE BILLS.


For years past no question seems to have
excited the interest that the LODGE election
bill does. The press of the nation is deeply
agitatcd. All the Democratic and Mug
wump journals ard some Republican Jour
mails have united in denouncing the measure
as calculated to revive ancient animosities
and to iniure the industrial relations be-
tween the north and the south The bill is
denounced as party tyranny and blow at
liberty. Yet it is only small section of
the TUcKER-EDMUNDs law that we have in
Utah. 1t seems to be an application of those
sections of this law that relate to elections.
except that the registration of votes seems
to be provided for by actual sections of
the bill, and not left to commission. as
here in Utah. We can observe nothing in
the proposed law that is more Objectionable
than the TUCKER EDMUNDs law.
But the LODGE bill is to be passed be-
cause some voters are denied their rights at
elections, by intimidation or force. Now.
who ever heard voter in Utah complain
that be had been inundated or interfered
with in casting his ballot. Previous to the
passage of the. TUCKER EDMUNps law such
thing was unheard Of. Who has ever
heard of riot bloodshed or violence at the
polls in Utaha Elections in Utah have al
ways been as quiet and peaceable as Sun
day school sessions. Was a Liberal ever
prevented from voting or interfered with
in any way at the pollss Never. Not one
has ever claimed, so far as we know, that
he has not been treated with the utmost
fairness in voting for whom he pleases.
But Congress passed the bill to place all
the election machinery into the hands of a
small minority here, without even a claim
having been made that the elections were
not in all respects fairly conducted.
Its different in the case of the LODGE
bill. 1t pretends, at least, to correct an
evil. 1t seeks to have the negro cast his
vote. There is a wrong to be corrected:
though we think it is one thing to say n
wrong needs correction and quite another
thing TO say that Congress shall correc. If.
1t is one thing to say what the social OR
political condition of the negro is in the
south; but is another matter to say that
Congress can lift the negro by compell-
ing him to VOTE Nothing Congress
CAM do will permanently better the
lot OF the negro: that can only
be bettered BY the people among whom tue
negro must make his living or by the legis
lature Of the state. But Congress can by
placing the election machinery in the hands
of the Republican party, increase the Re
publican representation in the national
legislature
Similarly there is nothing that affects
polygamy in the turning over of all cleo
tions in Utah to Liberal management
There is simply plumber and office for
Liberal shriekers. Yet very few of the
papers that are now denouncing the LODGE
bill had anything to say against the
TUcKER-EDMUNDs outrage. It seems that
the Indifference which permitted the pass
age of this Force bill for Utah is recoiling
upon the beads of the Democrats who so
far forgot their party principles and tradi-
tions as TO vote against local control of
elections in Utah. 1t is an old adage that
curses come home. If it were possible to
be merry at the loss of sacred rights we
could laugh, like HANNIBAL did at the final