The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1890-10-02
THE LODGE BILL,
Its Provisions Expiained-Reason why 1t
Should II Pissed.

Its provisions Expiained-ReasOn why 1t
Should BE Passed.
House bill No. II, ,045, entitled an act
"to amend and supplement the election
laws OF the United States and to provide
for more efficient enforcement of such
laws" Was prepared by the select COM
mittee ON the election of representatives
in congress. It is called the Lodge bill.
but it is in fact the embodiment of the
better features or suggestions of nearly
q dozen bills on the same subject which
had been submitted to the United States
congress and carefully scrutinized by
the select committee of which Repre-
sentative Lodge is chairman. The bill
passed the house July 2, and is now
pending in the senate.
Until the senate acts upon the meas
ure before it, and the house concurs in
such amendments as it may make, and
the president approves the act which
finally passes, it would be folly for us to
argue as TO the merits or dement's of
certain minor details which may become
part of the proposed law and may
not.
The only question, therefore, which
we can at this stage Of the proceedings
intelligently discuss, is this, to-wit:
Should law having in view the Federal
supervision Of congressional elections
receive the sanction of honest men and
the approval of the voter?
Such law would discriminate
against no individual and no party. It
would apply with equal force to all Sec
tions OF the country-to Ohio as we'll as
to Mississippi. to Maine as we'll as to
California. If it affected one section
70
unfavorably. If it bore heavily on
honest Democrats it would of necessity
bear Just as oppressively upon honest
Republicans. Why, therefore, should
our Democratic friends become alarmed
and denounce the proposed law with
such intense and unmeasured bitter
ness?
1t is because such law would be un-
constitutional No; for the very first
article of the constitution in its fourth
section provides that congress may at
any time by law" prescribe the manner
of holding elections for senators and
representatives. We may, therefore,
dismiss the idle assumption that con-
gress lacks the power to make such q
law and enforce it, as too absurd for ar
gument an too trifling to be worthy Of
consideration.
Is it because such a law must Of
necessity conflict with any intelligent
Americans conception of home rule
No; for even the bill which passed the
house of representatives does not, and
the bin which finally becomes law
need not.
The people directly interested in the
election of congressman are not con-
fined to the district in which he may re-
side, but extend beyond the political
subdivisions of states and embrace the
population of the entire country, The
member from South Carolina may vote
fortunes, liberties and lives. 1t would
be nonsense, therefore, to affirm that we
have no special interest in his election
no right to see and satisfy ourselves
that he represents the will of that
majority which, under the Federal con-
stitution can alone confer upon him
authority to act as legislator. In
brief, the principal of home rule, II in
diligently construed and fairly applied,
must of necessity give te every citizen
of the republic the right to subject to
the most vigilent scrutiny every device,
method or arrangement by means of
which those who make laws for the
whole country acquire the right to do
30. ft-
The bill now pending in the senate of
the United States, known as the Lodge
bill, does not propose to relieve the local
state election officers from their GUS
tomary Of duties of opening the polls,
receiving the ballots. recording names
of voters and counting the votes; but it
does propose, whenever q goodly num-
Der Of citizens demand it, to have repre-
sentatives of the general government
present to see that the election is con-
Quoted Legally, fairly, decently and in
order. These representatives of the
nation, called in the Lodge bill super
visors, are not to be simply spectators,
be clothed with sufficient authority to
make their presence at the election pre-
cinct of practical force and effect either
in the furtherance of good or the re-
stranment Of evil.
Such measure, instead of being ad-
verse to the principle of home rule and
in conflict with it, would be its sure
foundation and impregnable bulwark.
The country could then rest confident
ly in the assurance that the people at
home did rule-that the will Of the
majority had free expression, that every
legal voter was permitted to enjoy, in
peace and safety, his constitutional
right to free ballot and fair count.
If this bill should become law, who,
if anybody, would be hurt by it? The
honest local state election officers who
receive the ballots and make true re-
turns? No; for these are precisely the
things which the law requires of them.
The honest voter? No; For the law Ia
made expressly for his protection. The
candidate9 No; for he would
recognize the fact that no injustice had
been done him. The honest people Of
the whole country No; for they be-
lieve in tho right Of the majority to rule
and this law secures and fortihes that
right. Whs then would be hurt by
such lsw2 Ths ballos box stuffer,
the bulldossr, the election bully, the
of tissue ballots, the tally
sheet forgsr, the man who makes falss
counts and traudulent retu-ns, the
briber. the intimidstoy, the ballot |
the election oflcee who disre-
CARDS ~ od1cial oath; ths sceundrel
who rsgistsS snl votes undsr fcti. |