Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-07-04

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they for purely dishonest partisan
reasons. There is no sort of reSem-
blance and no room for comparison be-
tween the statiouing of these Federal
police at the polls and this desperate
Republican scheme TO Sieze the whole
election machinery and to empower the
administration at Washington to APP
point It's henchmcu and heelerS as super
risors If election, and clerks, 10 do the
counting and handle he ballots. y
greater, or more infamous outrage
was never conceived against the rights
of free people. 1t is clearly uncon-
stitutional in the Spiri: Of the conStitu
tion. though by Straining the language
Of that instrument a Semblance Of con-
Stitutionality is given it.
''Let us do our own registration, our
own counting. our own certiiication,
says Speaker REED, who by the aid Of
his revolutionary gag-law has succeeded
in forcing this infamous measure
through the House. That is the scheme
in nutshell. The INSCRIPTIONS and
corrupt Republican leaders care not
how the people vote, SO they are per-
mitted to do the counting. 1t is COM
plete SubyerSion of the constitutional
right OF the States to select their own
representatives in their own way, a law
that has been handed down from the
founders Of our country, and under
which this nation has been free and
has proSpered, as no other nation on
earth has, for hundred years,
Il is proposed to oyerturn fundamcn-
tai laws under which we have been 4
free and happy people for a century
and why9 Solely because the Repub-
lcan party can find no means of
perpetuatlng its control OF the govern
ment other than through the groSSest
sort of fraud and corruption and the
forcible suppression Of the popular
voice.
No sort Of valid excuse is made for
the perpetuation Of the infamy. 1t is
simply the last bold stroke Of desperate
and wholly INSCRIPTIONS partisans, upon
the success Of which they stake their
all.
II is with the record of having aided
this Infamous measure by their votes
that MessrS. ATKINSON and SMITH will
90 before the people this year for cleo
ton, and this ON top OF the fact that
they hold their seats through the most
shameless aud open robbery.
II there is one spark of intelligence,
manhood or patriotism in the rank and
file OF the Republican voters of this
State party lines viii be east aside in
the next election and these two men, if
nominated, defeated SO utterly and
Overwhelmingly that even REED or 4
QUAY will not think Of questioning the
result. or their most INSCRIPTIONS
henchmen at the polls in control of the
ballots find it possible to overcome it by
fraud.
There is a limit to the rankeSt par
tison's adherence to his party, and We
believe this measure touches that limit
aud goes beyond.
An acknowledgment of the villain
Gus character Of the bill is found in the
fact that the Republicans themselves
refused to apply it to all Congressional
districts. They insisted that the bill
applv only to districts ''aSking" for fed
eral supervision, or, in the language OF
Mr.. REECKiNRIpGE, they are willing to-
"stab at the purity Of elections because
the bill dia not apply TO their States.
This is sufficient admission that the
bill is wholly sectional and partisan. 1t
is for Democratic, not for Republican
States. In diSsecting the bin the New
York World says:
II not true that the Federal Elections
bill is merely an extension OF the existing
supervisory system. Republican Congress
men and the newspapers say so, out never
theless il is not true.
Under the present law Supervisors are
merely watchers and challengers until the
ballots are counted They have the right
10 count and 10 make memoranda concern
ING rejected votes, but simply Tor the pur,
pose of furnishing evidence IN contested
cases.
Under the proposed law supervisors
,vould supersede the local and State
boards would declare the results OF an
election and give 10 one Of the Candidates
certificate Of election. At present teuer3l
suDeryisOrs are witnesses Of the proceed
ines at the polls, that are conducted oy the
officers chosen by the people of the locality;
Under the Lodge-Roweu bill they would
h. fuuctionaries, and Congressman would
be selected by the emiSsaries OF quay, iOr
Of course no one not even Speaker keed
mr. Mr. Lodge or Mr.. ROwell, suppose that
J, fair election would be conducted by the
present Republican National Committee
The law to-day does not permit house
toulouse visitation by Federal oihcerS' the
Elections bill would. The supervisors Ger
fi6cate under the one is a piece OF teStl-
mony: under the other IL would be pf'h'd
f,cic title TO seat in Congress.
The difference between supervisor
under existing law and one under the pro
nosed law is as wide as the difference be,
tween a party challenger and official board
OF canyasscrS. ,.u
The Congressman who votes for this olI
ON the theory that il is simply an extension
of the supervisory system does great NO
lence to his intelligence. The measure Is
mot an extension; IL is u revolution.
---l Nature should be