Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-02

aud upon the petition Of
certain number of citizens % slsc,s,-
supervisors, and made it Their dutr ;,
supervise the registration of voters can.
Quoted by state officers, TO chalrn,,
persons Offering TO register, t. person.
ally inspect and scrutiuize the r-g.,r,,
/ lists, and to affiy their names 70 the Ia.
for the purpose OF identification aui IN,
| prevention of fraud by elrrt.uu,. ana
remain with the boxes till the vote, NJ.
| counted, TO write on the registry r,,
| aud election returns any sIat-nrr,
| touching the accuracy ami faiTuss, At
the registry and election. and II
! take and transmit TO the clsr>
| OF the house of Representa-
| tives any evidence OF fraudulent p-sr.
| toes which may be presented t. them.
! The same law provides for tie spGo,ri.
meut OF deputy United States marshall
| to attend the polls. support tbs super.
/ visors In the discharge of Their date,
| and TO arrest persons violating The eco
| ton laws. The provisions of tai, iamg
/ lar title of the Revised Statutes has,
! been put into exercise by both great rolf,
! ical parties in the North a. well is il
| the South, by the fling with the clur
/ OF the petitions required by law. ltH
| not, therefore, question OF whether vi
shall have Federal election law for vi
! now have had one, AMI have hal tu
nearly twenty years, hu: whether s.,
shall have
AN EFFECTIVE LAW.
The present law stops just snort % e.
.ectiveness, for it surren6ers to the I0ta
authorities all control over the crrt,h,a.
ton which established prima facir righ
to q seat IN the house OF representative.
This done, should be secured the equality
of Republicans, and the purity Of elect
ors must he maintained. or everythu
that is valuable IN our system OF govern.
ment is lost. Qualifications OF an election
must be sought in Jaw, not in opinion
and the prejudices or fears of any class
however powerful. The path OF thi
elector to the ballot box must be fire,
from the ambush OF fear, and the eatice.
ment of fraud, the counts so true aud
open that none shall gansay 1t. Sucn
law should be absolutely nOnpartisan
and impartial, il should give advantage
to honesty and control TO majOritrs.
Surely there is nothing sectional abou.
this creed, and il it shall happen tia!
penalties of laws intended right iall here
and not there, it Is not because the law
Is sectional. but because, happily, crime
Is local and not universal, nor should il
be forgotten that every law, whether re-
lating TO locations or TO any other SUBJ
ject, whether enacted by the state or by
the nation. has force behind il. The
courts, the marshal or constabes, tits
posse comitantS, the prisons are al! aud
always behind the law. One cannot te
justly charged with unfrieDdliness 10 any
section, or who seeks only TO restrain
VIOLATIONS OF LAW
and personal right. No communitv will
fiud lawlessness profitable, no community
can afford TO have 1t known that is
officers. who are charged with the preset
walton OF the public peace and the re.
straint of the criminal classes, are them
selves the product of fraud or violence.
The magistrate is then without respect
and the Law without sanction. The
floods OF lawipssness cannot be levied
and made to run In one channel. The
killing of United States marshal carry
ing a writ Of arrest for au election ofeuss
is full of prom Dtiug and suggestion 10
men to whom are pursued By u city mar
shall for u crime against life or properly.
But il Is SAID that this legislation will re-
VlV6 race ulu soil4l "''0
even suggested that when the peaceful
methods of fraud are made impossible
they may be supplanted by intimidation
and violence. If the proposed Law gives
to any qualified elector by hairs
weight more than his equal influence or
detracts by SO much from any oihes
qualified elector it is fatally impeachedi
but if the law is equal and the animOsi-
ties II Is to evoke grow out of the taet
that some electors have been accustomed
to exercise the franchise for Others as
we'll as for themselves, then these sni-
mosiiies ought not TO be confessed with
out shame, aud cannot be gwen any
weight on the discussion without DIS
honor. No choice Is left TO me but 10
enforce with vigor all the laws intended
to secure TO the citizenship constitutional
rights, and to recommend that the luGd-
equacies of such laws be promptly rene
died. If to promote with zeal and ready
interest every project for the develop
ments of its material interests, its RIVERS
harbors, mines, and factories aud tls
peace and security uuhe'
the law of its communities and its homes,
is not accepted as sufficient evidence OF
to any state or section,
cannot add connivance at election prae'
tices that not only disturb local results,
but rob the electors of other ststes lauu
sections Of their most priceless poliilca'
rights.
The preparation of the general applo-
priat bills should be conducted WIZ
the greatest care, and the closes
scrutiny of expenditures. Appropriations
should be adequate to the needs OF puo-
lie service, but they should be absolutely
free from prodigality.
venture again to remind you that tn'
brief time remaining for the cousiderS-
ton of the important legislation no"
awaiting your attention offers no mareiH
for waste. II the present duty Is az
charged with diligence, fidelity anu
the work of the Fifty first coz
gress may be confidently submitted +"
the considerable judgment OF the people,
(Signed) BENJAMIN HARRISON
Executive Mansio1'
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