The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1890-05-30
REEDS eRoPosrTlon.
A Revolutionary Scheme That WI
Plunge the Country Into Anarchy.

A Revolutionary Scheme That VIII
Plunge the Country Into Anarchy.
Let US test Speaker Reeds Federal
election system by sober, indisputable
facts. Federal election law that as
sumed the entire control of COMPRESSION
al and Presidential elections indie
pendent of the State would require a
complete double election machinery;
double registration; double lists of vot-
ers; double election boards of five each
in all of the 4, 200 election precincts of
Pennsylvania; double elections for
each voter to vote for the President and
congressman under the Federal law
and to vote for State, district and coun-
ty officers under the State law; double
computation and certifcation of the
votes, under different laws and by en-
tirely different officials, and conflicting
jurisdiction of State and Federal
officers at the same polls to maintain
the peace What hope could be
cherished of tranquility at elections
under such dual and seif-antagonizing
election system, with Federal officers
chosen solely for the purpose Of forcing
a party victory? How long could bust
ness tranquility and business safety DO
assured under such revolutionary cleo
ton methods?
To execute Speaker Reeds Federal
election system, by which he proposes
to ''cut loose from the State elections,
do our own registration, our own count
ing and our own certification,' it would
require in Pennsylvania one State re-
turning board to compute and certify
the vote for Presidents; twenty-eight
returning boards to compute and certify
the returns in each Congressional
district; 20, 900 election officers
one Judge, two inspectors and two clerks
| to each of our 4, 600 election precincts
in the State-to hold the election; 5000
registers of voters, if two are required
for each precinct, or IL, 900, if three are
| required, to register voters, pass upon
the quail f1cations of electors and revise
and publish the list Of voters, to be
| employed not less than thirty days
each; and to estimate moderately, in
view of the temptation to employ Unit
ed States marshals to do party work,
fully 200 deputy marshals would be
wanted at any Pennsylvania election.
The cost of this extra and entirely need
less Federal election machinery would
be about as follows:
| 5000 registers thirty days each, at s.
20 90 election ofiicers, fve for each pre-
| clnct, TWO days each, at % per day. I2U,UOO
| % Congressional returning boards OF five
| each, three days, at 50 per day.. 2, 100
zoo United States marshaiS, five days
each, at g per day. .................... 5000
| Total. sS47, 100
In short. Speaker Reeds proposition
| to ''cut loose from the State elections
do our own registration, our own count
! ing and our own certifcation," would
cost the public treasury not less than
$500, 600 for each Congressional or Presi-
Dental election held in Pennsylvania,
and the cost in all the States could not
be less than SIS, 200, 900, and for what?
Simply to employ hundreds of thousands
of Federal officers, appointed solely for
partisan service, to mock popular gov
eminent by violence and fraud under
color of law, and disrupt the tranquility
of the whole country. If Speaker Reed
insists upon such an experiment in pol
tics, let him move on and make it; but
let him first write in flaming letters over
his Speakers chair-'After me the del
uge"-Philadelph Times.