Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-08-14
Proposed Federal Ele tfon Law

Speech Of Hon. Robert NJ La Toilette, in tn.
House Of Rspresentatices.
Mr.. Speaker:-l take advantage
of the indulgence of the House to
submit brief summary of the pur.
poses and provisions of this import
ant bill. / shall not discuss the
constitutional warrant and authority
for the Legislation. Even the most
narrow construction of the plain let.
ter of the constitution itself places
that question beyond rational doubt.
The proceedings Of the convention,
the contemporaneous writings and
publications, and, finally, the discis-
ions of the Supreme Court have set
tied this Interpretation for all save
few gentlemen WHO discuss coniti-
tutional questions on all occasions,
except when they are involved, aud
in every place except where they
may be determined.
Sir, no lawyer seriously questions
its constitionality, and no one will
vote against it because of any doubts
upon that point. The bill is consti-
tutional and we shall shortly decide
whether it shall pass this House up
on other and different grounds.
What is its purpose ? Where is
it to be applied +? What are its pro-
visions Is its enactment neces-
sary (?
It's plainly declared purpose is to
preserve and enforce the Constitu-
ton, not to violate it to sustain and
give effect to the federal election
law now upon our statutes. This
measure, identical with that law in
principle, broadens it in application
aud extends and strengthens it in
detail to fair promise of efficiency.
The purpose of that law, passed
eighteen years ago, was to stop the
gigantic frauds practiced in New
York and other great cities in the
elections. 1t was partially success.
full. No one has had the hafdihood
to seek its repeal. The purpose of
this measure Is to make that exist
ing law as perfect as legislative
foresighEcan make it.
Where is this law to be applied i?
- 1t is to be applied in any Con-
gressional district in the United
States where they do not have fair
and lawful elections, whenever one
hundred of its citizens petition the
United States circuit court for its
application and enforcement. When
invoked it is to be applied only to
the Congressional election, and in
terferes in DO manner with the State,
county, OK local elections. If, sir,
it is applied in cities more than in
the country or iii the South more
than in the North, it will be only
because in some of the cities and in
some parts of the South they force
the law-loving, law abiding citizens
to appeal to this law for protection
in the exercise of their sovereign
right to vote under the Constitution.
This law will be applied, then,
where it is needed. Poisonous al
GERS eating their way into the body
polite can not be best treated by
using the knife on some healthy
part. Wherever republican form of
government is assailed there the
assault must be met and repealed.
What are the provisions of the
bill? 1t makes false registration a
crime. 1t makes wilfully keeping
any false pole-list or knowingly en-
tering false names or false state
ments thereon a crime. 1t makes
giving or accepting a bride to induce
a person to vote or refrain from vot-
ing a crime. 1t requires the ballot
box to be placed in plain sight of
the voters and in such a position as
to enable the election officers, Ma
tional and State, and the voter when
voting, to see that the ballot is in
fact placed in the box. 1t makes
the wilful rejection of legal votes,
knowing them to be legal, a crime.
1t makes the willful acceptance of
illegal votes, knowing them to be
illegal, a crime. 1t makes the fraud
ulent substitution of one ballot for
another, for the purpose of having
the vote rejected, or for the purpose
of having it counted for a person
other than the voter intended, a
crime. 1t makes willfully placing
ballots not lawfully cast in any bal
lot-box among ballots lawfully cast,
for the purpose of changing the re.
suit, a Grim. 1t makes unlawfully
removing ballots from a ballot-box
lawfully cast, for the purpose of af
fecting the result of the election, a
crime. 1t makes a willfuliy false
canvass of votes or the false certi-
tication and return of such vote a
crime. IL makes it crime for every
officer charged with duty under
the law to willfully neglect to pre-
form such duty or TO be guilty of
any corrunt or fraudulent conduct