Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-12-04

coming Legislation
WORK THAT REMAINS TO BE DONE.
In addition TO the important bills than became
laws before the adjournment OF the last ses-
sion, some other bills Of the highest inn
portance were well advanced toward final
vote, and now stand upon the calendars Of
the two houses in favored positions. The
present session has a fixed limit, and il
those measures are not now brought to
hnal vote all the work that has been done
upon them by this Congress is lost. The
proper consideration of these of an
Apportlonment Dill and OF the annual
appropriation bills will require not only that no
working day of the session shall be lost but
that measures of minor and local interest shall
not be allowed to interrupt or retard the prog
ress of those that are of universal interest.
In view OF those conditions | refrain from
bringing before you at this time some sug-
gestions that would otherwise be made, and
most earnestly invoke your attention to the
duty of perfeeting the important legislation
now well advanced. To some of those measures
which seem TO me most important now briefly
cali your attention.
DEVELOP AMERICAN STEAMSHIP LINES.
I desire to repeat with added urgency the
recommendations contained in my last annual
message in relation to the development of
American steamship lines. The reciprocity
clause of the tariff bill will be largely limited,
and its benefits retarded and diminished if pro-
vision is not contemporaneously made to en-
courage the establishment of first
class steam communication between
our ports and the ports of such
nations as may meet our overtures
for enlarged commercial exchanges. me
steamship carrying the mails stately and fire.
quently, and Offering to passengers comforta-
BILE, safe and speedy transit is the first condition
of foreign trade. 1t carries the order or the
buyer, but not all that is ordered or bought. It
gives to the sailing vessels such cargoes as are
not urgent or perishable, and, indirectly at
least, promotes that important adjunct of com
merce. There is now both in this country and
in the nations of Central and South America a
state OF expectation and confidence as TO in
creased trade that will give a double value to
your prompt action upon this question.
BETTER ELECTION LAWS.
If any intelligent and loyal company of
American citizens were required to catalogue
the essential human conditions of life, / do
not doubt that with absolute unanimity it
would begin with free and honest elections
And it is gratifying to know that generally
for better election laws. But against this
sign OF hope and progress must be set the de-
pressing and undeniable fact that election
laws and methods are sometimes cunningly
contr1ved TO secure minority control while
violence completes the shortcomings Of fraud.
PASS THE ELECTION LAW.
In my last annual message / suggested that
the development OF the existing law provid-
ing Federal supervision of Co ngressional
elections offered an effective met hod of re-
forming these abuses. The need of such a law
has manifested itself in many parts of the
country, and its wholesome restraints an d
penalties will be useful in all. The constitu-
tlonallty of such legislation has been af-
irmed by the Supreme Court. Its probable
effectiveness is evidenced by the character of
the opposition that is made to it. 1t has been
denounced as II 1t were new exercise of Fed
eral power and an invasion of the rights OF the
States. Nothing could be further from the
truth. Congress has already fixed the time for
the election of members of Congress. 1t has de-
clared that votes for members OF Congress
@ 6nIIdts written nIdsdeo for prin ts
appointment by the circuit courts ~ in ce err
tain cases, and upon the petition Of a
certain number Of citizens, Of election super
visors, and made it their duty to supervise
ne o. Of bxy fhe
State officers; to challenge persons Offering to
register; to personally inspect and scrut-
inize the registry lists, and to afix their
names to the lists for the purpose of identifi-
cation and the prevention of frauds; to
attend at elections and remain with the
boxes till the votes are all cast and
counted; to attach to the registry
list and election returns any statement to : CHI
ing the accuracy and fairness of the registry
Clerk of the House Of Representatives any
evidence Of fraudulent practices which may
be presented TO them. The same law provides
for the appointment of Deputy United States
Marshals to attend at the polls support the
supervisors in the discharge of their duties
and to arrest persons violating the election
law. The provisions Of this familiar title in
the Revised Statutes have been put to exercise
by both the pol tical parties and in the No rth
as well as in the South, by the filing with the
court of the petitions required by law.
1t is not therefore, a question whether we
shall have Federal election law, for we now
have one, and have had for nearly twenty
law The present law stops just short of ef-
fectiveness, for ii surrenders to the local
authorities all control over the certifcation
which establishes the prima facie right to a
seat in the House of Representatives. This
defect should be cured. Equality OF repre-
sentation and the parity of the electors must
be maintained or every thing that is valuable
in our system of government is lost The quail
ifications of an elector must be sought in the
law, not in the opinions, prejudices or fears OF
any class, however powerful The path of the
elector TO the ballot box must be free from
the ambush of fear and the enticements OF
fraud; the count so true and open that none
shall gatnsay it, Such law should be abSo-
lutely non-partisan and impartial 1t should
give the advantage to honesty and the con-
troll to majorities Surely there is nothing
sectional about this creed. and If it shall
happen that the penaltias of laws intended to
enforce these rights fan here and not there,
tits not because the law is sectional but
because, happily, crime is local and not
universal. Nor should it be forgotten
that every law. whether relating to elections
or to any other subject, whether enacted nv
the State or by the Nation has force behind it.
The courts, the marshal or constable, the
posse com1tatus the prison. are all and always
behind the law.
If TO promote with zeal and rea DIV interest
every project for the development Of its mate
rial interests, its rivers, harbors, mines and
factories, and the intelligence and peace and
security under the law of its communities and
It's homes is not accepted as sufficient evidence
Of friendliness to any State or section, can not
add connivance at election practices that not
only disturb local results but rob the electors
Of other States and sections OF their most
priceless political rights.
APPROPRIATION BILLS.
The preparation OF the general appropriation
bills should be conducted with the greatest
.are and closest scrutiny OF expenditures. APP
oropriatiOns should be adequate to the needs
II the public service, but they should be abso-
iutely free from prodigality.
venture again to remind you that the brief
time remaining for the consideration OF the i'm
portant legislation now awaiting your atten-
tion offers no margin for waste. II the present
iuty is discharged with diligence. fidelity and
courage the work 81 the Fifty first Congress
nav be confidently submitted to the consider
ate judgment OF the people
BENJAMIN HARRISON