The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-07-17
rHEFEDERAL ELECTIONS BILL

/ Inc Dill 10 regulate feu6rtu eleCIlOub,
which passed the House last week and is
now before the Senate, is of voluminOus
length and would cover more than page
of this paper If printed in full. Follow
ing is brief but Ineligible summary of
its essential provisions:
The bill charges the chief supervisor
of elections with the supervisor of
elections at which representatives or
delegates in Congress are voted for,
with the enforcement of the national
election laws, and with the prevention
of frauds and irregularities in natural
ization. Supervision such as is contem-
plated by the bill will not be had uni
formly over the country if the bill be-
comes law, but only if petitioned for
The provision is that in any city or town
having over 10000 inhabitants or more,
or in any cong 0 'sional district, no part
of which is within any town or city
having 10000 inhabitants or more, fed
eral supervision of a congressional
election may be had when petitioned for
by 100 persons claiming to be qualified
voters, and that in any one or more
counties or parishes forming part of a
congressional district, supervision may
be had when petitioned for by 80
voters.
The supervisors are to be appointed
| by the circuit courts-three in each
election district or voting precinct, but
two of whom are to be of the same
political party. These supervisors are
to attend all registrations in their dis
tricts, challenge persons, personally
inspect and copy the original registra-
ton books and papers, attend elections
and detect and expose the improper or
wrongful manipulation of the lists. In
case of failure of local election officers
to put the statutory oath to challenged
voter and to pass at once upon his quail
ficatiOns, then the supervisors are to
apply the test and receive and deposit
the vote, making list of all such chal-
lenges. They are also to personally in
spect ballot boxes before elections, keep
independent poll lists, and inclOse re-
jected votes Endorsed with the names of
the vOter) in envelopes. In addition to
these duties, the supervisors are required
to make-in towns of 20, 600 people and
upward-a thorough toulouse
canvass before election to inform voters
upon inquiry where and in what box to
deposit their ballot, and to scrutinize
naturalizations. The supervisors are to
see that the ballot boxes are empty when
the voting begins, instruct voters in
what box to put their ballots, and render
all other assistance possible to ignorant
voters. In case the local state officers
fail 10 open the polls and hold an
election, The supervisors are to hold an
election.
In canvassing the votes the state laws
are to govern, except all ballots are to
be counted by tens, first by an inspector
of election, and second by supervisor,
the local election officers and the super
visors keeping separate tally-sheets,
which are to be compared and the result
publicly announced. Ballots deposited in
the wrong box are to be counted. When
there is an excessive number of ballots for
Congressman in the ballot box, the box
is to be well shaken up, after which as
many ballots are to be drawn out as are
excessive, blindfolded supervisor and
blindfolded inspector alternating in
withdrawing the ballots, the whole per-
fOrmance to be public. Returns are to
be made by the supervisors in duplicate
to the clerks of the United States circuit
courts and to the chief supervisor, who
is to tabulate and refer them to the
United States board of canvassers of the
congressional vote, which is to be APP
pointed by the United States circuit
court, and to consist of three citizens of
the State, persons of good repute, not
more than two of whom are to be of the
same political party. The board is to
convene on November 18th each year,
and is to declare and certify the result
of the election and send one return to
the clerk of the House of Representa-
tives, one to the governor of the State
and one to the proper chief supervisor
of elections. The clerk of the House is
to place upon the roll of members-elect
the names of persons declared elected by
the United States canvassers, in case
there is difference in the result reached
by them and by the state election officers.
A penalty of between 81, 900 and 5000
is provided in case the clerk neglects his
duty. Any person who was a candidate
for election may, by motion before the
United States circuit court having juris-
diction in the district, contest the cor
rectness of the certificate made by the
board, and demand an examination and
compilation of the returns.
While the primary purposes of the bill
is to secure honest elections in the South,
giving the negroes a chance to vote and
have their votes counted, the provisions
of the law may be made to apply to any
northern district or to any district any.
where in the country. Honest men who
want honest elections have nothing to
fear from its operation. All that those
who raise such an Outcry against it will
have to do If it becomes law will
be to stop their fraudulent election
methods.
The Republican congressional com
mittee has issued an appeal to the Re
publican editors, asking them to urg,
upon the Senate the Importance o
promptly seconding the action of th'
House by passing the bill and sending i
TO the President for his signature, thu
fulfilling one of the foremost pledges ol
the Republican party. The appeal EN-
phasizes one important point whicl
should be borne in mind.
mo question of negro supremacy, NJ
usurpatiOn of federal power, is in
volved in the issue. TIL,
ma ;ional elections bill deals only will
national elections; it does not meddl
directly or indirectly, with stat
elections, state officers, or state organ
izatiOns. The states are very properl,
left To work Out their own dpstin