Los Angeles herald., 1890-12-07
SUNDAY, DECEMBER =, 1890.
CAN THE FORCE BILL BE FORCED
THROUGH?


The majority of the Republicans in
the senate are determined to pass the
Force bill. 1t will not, however, reach
its final passage without one of the
fiercest struggles ever yet witnessed in
the upper house. The Democratic eau
Gus adopted programme by which
every available parliamentary device
will be used to prevent if possible the
elimination of this outrageous attempt
to place the elections under federal con-
troll. The bill will be fought step by
step; it's intendments and vicious provi-
sions, to take away from the states the
authority they have always exercised
over the elections so that the Republi-
can party may perpetuate its power
through returns certified by its own
partisans, will be fully discussed and
made clear to the country. In commit
tee of the whole the Democratic senators
will exhaust every available rule of par
liamentary procedure to amend it in its
salient features, and eliminate from
it its most obnoxious provi-
sions. There may be some Re-
publicans whose sense OF right is not
30 far warped by partisan prejudice as
to prevent them from voting to strip
the measure of its most dangerous and
revolutionary features. If there be,
then the bill may come out of the COM
mitttee somewhat ameliorated and if
not, its manifest object to create a great
Republican election machine for the
sole purpose of throwing out Democratic
votes and doctoring returns favorable to
the party in power. may induce enough
of the fair-minded senators Of the oppo-
sition to vote with the Democratic SEN
ators, when it comes up for final pas
sage, to defeat the bill.
The longer this pernicious measure is
delayed and the more the people know
of it's ulterior malign object, the greater
becomes the popular condemnation OF
its leading features. The Farmers Ali
ance, in national convention few days
since, adopted a resolution condemning
the bill in the strongest terms.
The effect of this patriotic stand
on the part of an organiza-
ton which at the recent elections
developed the amazing strength OF a
newborn giant in national politics,
should cause the Republican party to
cry Halt, unless it is afflicted with an
access of suicidal frenzy. There ought
to be number of Republican senators
from the western states who are not yet
willing to commit political hari-kari for
the sake of carrying out the insensate
designs of the radical Missionaries OF the
New England states.
The federal election bill violates all
the practices and traditions OF our poll
tical system from the beginning, 1t
authorizes the nine circuit United States
judges, on the application Of few citi
zens in each congressional district
within their circuit, to appoint super
visor, who in turn will have the power
to appoint deputy marshals with extra
ordinary discriminating power of super
vision and control at the polls in each
congressional district, to be present at
the count to decide upon the validity of
ballots and to certify to the re-
turns. Here we shall have an
army of federal marshals, selected
on account OF their fitness. e., their
fitness as bullies and stuffers-to use
every means in their power to return
Republican candidates. They will be
there to take care of the interests of the
party which secures their appointment,
and they will be careful to use their au-
thority against the party which is OPP
posed to the one which pays them for
their services. If this bill becomes
law there will be an end of fair elections;
there will be intimidation and brow
beating Of honest Democratic voters at
the polls, and manipulation of the bal
lots and doctoring of the returns after
they are closed.
The American people are not prepared
to surrender their electoral rights; nor
do they desire to see any further CEN
tralization of power in the federal gov
ernment at the expense of the sovereign
states.