The crusader., 1890-07-19
A WEAK PLEA,

| against the Federal election bill. 1t Is
about the lamest plea we have read in a
bad cause-a plea, moreover, based up
on false premises. Mr.. Coleman did
not vote against the bill because it was
weak or badly constructed, as the South
western would have us believe. He
voted against the bill because he is OPP
posed to Federal control OF Congression-
al elections. This is the tenor OF his
speech. A stronger law would have
met still stronger opposition from
him.
| AS TO the bill itself, we believe it is
agreed among all the stalwarts in Con-
gress, and sll the sincere friends of pure
elections, that it is not what the exigen-
cies of the situation in the South re-
quire; but that it is great Improvement
on existing laws, and about the strong
est measure whose passage could be Sc
cured through the present Congress, are
equally agreed upon. Mr.. Coleman
and the other Republican congressman
from the South owe their election to
the present laws, ineffective as they are.
It is therefore fair to presume that we
will have an increased Republican rep
resentation in Congress from the South
ID proportion as the proposed law is an
improvement on existing laws. And il
is no objection to offer against it that in
this State it's execution would be entrust-
ed to District Attorney Grant and Mar
! shall Donnally. The law is not proposed
for Louisiana alone, but the whole
country Besides, the term of these
officers is limited and the law is to last
as long as the conditions that call it in
to existence last. It is childish to al
lege that because we have a bad man in
an office, one too of limited territorial
iucis iiction, that no law for the protec-
tion or amelioration of the people should
be enacted. Such an argument is not
serious.
But the Southwestern sees rivers OF
blood if this law is enacted. Why
should there be any more bloodshed
than now ? The tragedies ut Barnwell,
LeFlore, Freetown, Lafayette, to which
the Southwestern pathetically points,
were not occasioned by the enactment
of any Federal law or any attempt to
enforce Federal law. They had
their Origin in the meanness and blood
thirstiness of the people who commit
ted them, and unfortunately they will
occur again, with or without Federal
| Legislation, until these people are enlight-
ened ana UnrlSt1anIz6d.
But to secure the protection OF the
polls that this law offers one hundred
citizens in Congressional district must
petition the authorities for the appoint
ment of supervisors, and fears are pro-
fessed to be entertained that the lives of
the 100 petitioners will be endangered,
This may prove true in many parts of
the South, but does it form sufficient
argument against the passage OF the law2
Would the Southwestern favor the re-
peal of the existing laws ? Does it not
know that under these laws in MANY
Congressional districts it requires more
than than the signatures Of 100 citizens
to secure the appointment of supervi-
sors To have supervisors at the polls
IN any one parish requires the peti-
tlon of ten citizens to the u. s. Cir
cult Judge. In our Third district, for
instance, it takes the signatures of 100
men to have supervisors in every
parish. II this number can be had
under the present law, surely it ought
to be possible to secure 100 under the
proposed law. This law has been in
existence for years, and we have new
er heard of any citizen being molested
for signing petition under it. WHY
should there be greater danger under
the proposed law
The truth is, where it shall be possible
to enforce this law it will be enforced.
and where it shall not be possible it
will not be enforced but there will be
mo more danger under it than under the
existing laws, while it will give greater
security at the polls, where enforced,
against fraud and ballot box stuffing.
We would like to see stronger law
enacted, law that would be self-oper-
ative-nota as the Southwestern would have
itat the will of candidates, who sometimes
sell the birthright of their constituents,
but operating of itself law in fact
that would put Congressional elections,
throughout the whole country, entirely
under the control of Federal authority.
But In default of such we think it wis
dom to accept the best we can get.
The postal service of this city grows from
bad to worse. We desire all subscribers who |
do not get THE CRUSADER regularly and |
promptly to make the fact known to this
OffinA Wn xropf 70 a~no,o o-.-o