Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-06-23

The election bill presents one OF the most far
reaching and important questions presented to
the public of the United States since the adop-
tion OF the constitutional amendments Its
consideration and determination call for the
exercise of the highest wisdom and most patri-
otic impulses of our national lie sislators The
issue involved is different from the
one presented at the time of the reconstruction
acts. Then the idea of the trainers of the laws
was to clothe new element just emancipated
with the ability to protect themselves at the
ballot box and there secure to themselves the
results OF emancipation The party response
BILE for these acts had also in view the political
advantage which the accession of such large
number Of voters would give to it, In the pro-
posed legislation the leading object an
Dounced by the authors of the measure
IL to secure to the colored voters Of the
southern states the rights of suffrage. at least
in federal elections. once accorded to them
and guaranteed to them perpetually in the
Constitution Other purposes, such as the
honest casting and counting of the vote in
federal elections in all parts of the republic,
enter into the plan which Is deliberately drawn
in tine Lodge bill reported in the House of
Representatives On the purity and free
dom of elections hang the destinies of
free and intelligent nations. That
elections in this country a perfect and un-
trammeled expression Of the peoples will, can
not be affirmed And this can be truthtully
said without giving offense to candid and open
minded partisans of either side 1t NAV be
said further that the reform spirit has been
needed at every step in the history of the
United States. Corruption. fraud, force and
Vic haya
elections, both municipal and national The
election bill would deserve extremely careful
consideration if it only aimed to improve the
character OF the republics elections generally.
but the bearing which it has upon the race
question in the south. as the proposed solution
Of problem which bristles with political and
social difficulties UNNECESSARILY increases its
Importance and the need of care in handlngit
The Post intimates that a spirit of revenge
against the Baltimore and Potomac railroad.
based on ''favors refused" influences The
STAR to oppose the Atkinson BILL and to con-
tend that the road should reduce the killing
and hanging of citizens and the obstruction
of travel at its grade crossings, and abandon or
render less Objectionable its occupation of the
mall There is no truth in the insnuation.
TIE STAR has no personal feeling against the
road. and is not aware of any reason whatever
why 1t should yearn for revenge. To give
voice to the sentiments of ninety-nine hun
dredths Of the people of the District. to in
crease the beauty and healthfulness of the city.
10 protect public property from private use.
10 remove obstruction from travel
and traffic. and TO save life and
limb at grade crossings have been Its sole
purposes in this controversy. If it had taken
the opposite course and had betrayed the pub
lie interest for the financial benefit of law
breaking corporation. Suspicion concerning its
motives might reasonably have been indulged
The STAR asks for an explicit statement of the
alleged ''favors' which have been asked and
refused" If it has really received, '.all I'M
beknownst to ITSELF some bad treatment
from the road which calls for revenge, it has
an interest in learning the fact at the earliest
possible moment