The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-06-11
WHAT REED PROPOSES.
A Revolutionary scheme That VIII
Plunge the Country Into Anarchy.

Let US test Speaker Reeds Federal
election system by sober, indispu:able
facts. A Federal election law that as
sumed the entire control of Cong ression-
al and Presidential elections inde-
pendent of the State would require
complete double election machinery;
double registration; double lists of vot-
ers; double election boards of five each
in all of the 1900 election precincts Of
Pennsylvania; double elections for
each voter to vote for the President and
Congressman under the Federal law
and to vote for State, district and coun-
ty officers under the State law; double
computation and certification Of the
votes, under different laws and by en-
tirely different officials, and conflicting
jurisdiction of State and Federal
officers at the same polls to maintain
the peace. What hope could be
cherished of tranquility at elections
under such dual and self-antagonizing
election system, with Federal officers
chosen solely for the purpose of forcing
a party victory? How long could bust.
ness tranquility and business safety be
assured under such revolutionary cleo.
ton methods?
To execute Speaker Reeds Federal
election system, by which ho proposes
to ''cut loose from the State elections,
do our own registration, our own count
ing and our own certifcation," it would
require in Pennsylvania one State re-
| -, 1,ro r6 70 Nnrtifu
the vote for President; twenty-eight
returning boards to compute and certify
the returns in each Congressional
district; 10000 election officers
one Judge, two inspectors and two clerks
to each of our 1900 election precincts
in the State-to hold the election; 5000
registers of voters, if two are required
for each precinct, or $4,000, If three are
required, to register voters, pass upon
the quail fications of electors and revise
and publish the list of voters, to be
, employed not less than thirty days
each; and to estimate moderately, in
, view Of the temptation to employ Unit
ed States marshals to do party work,
, fully 200 deputy marshals would be
, wanted at any Pennsylvania election.
, The cost of this extra and entirely need
less Federal election machinery would
: be about as follows:
, 5000 registers thirty days each, at g s y
so Pea eescton officers five for each pre-:
. cinct, two days each, at 10 per day -. lSO00
% Congressional returning boards of five
each three days. at IS per day.. 2,1O
200 United States marshals, five days ~
each, at IS per day. QUO
a Total. ............ ..eo4I ~
a In short, Speaker Reeds proposition
!. to "cut loose from the State elections
do our own registration, our own count
ing and our own certifcation," would
q cost the public treasury not less tina,
~ $500, 900 for each Congressional or Presi
Dental election held in Pennsylvania
and the cost in all the States could no
. be less than $4,000, 900, and for what
~ Simply to employ hundreds of thousand
= of Federal officers, appointed solely TO
~ partisan service, to mock popular gov
eminent by violence and fraud unde
color of law, and disrupt the tranquilit
of the whole country. If Speaker Rec
. insists upon such an experiment in POI
/ ties, let him move on and make it; bu
d let him first write in flaming letters owe
" his Speakers chair-''After me the de-
d. uge!"-Philadelp Times.