Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-04-28

Reed,s Rsvolutionary scheme.

Speaker Reed, ~ We have heretofore
4 mcted, comes nearer to the Thaddeus
ltevens type Of statesman than anyone
yho now figures ON our stage. Its char
1oefjstIc is audacity aud an un.
eiupulcusness that finds no him
1|tAnce in the constitution TO the
9bevens fourished In tumultuous times.
Reed figures In peaceful ones that
q 10 not 90 we'll suit the role he assumes.
IN the midst of avowed conflict the
Jaws are silent, but q time OF calm Is not
Spropitious TO revolutionary statesmen.
S Speaker Reed has not advanced Ills
Y party In public esteem by his violation
Eof congressional precedents with the
eloAf purpose to confirm Republican
Doutrul Of Congress and the proposition
1Aat he now makes that the United
NEates shall take entire charge Of all
b6eral elections, does not come to the
people with the weight II would have II
~ author had not already ruined
4 his repute for fair craftsmanship. 1t Is a
Recommendation very naturally flowing
from partisan who has already satis-
i 0sd the country that he sees nothing
! that stands In the way of his purpose to
\ secure the domination of his party. His
spresent scheme, II Il becomes operative,
may temporarily fortify the Republican
rarty In federal control. II 1t can secure
lie appointment Of the election officers
|rapd tho manipulation of the election
T1nachinery at federal elections, 1t may
perhaps prolong for while its control
~ Congress but only for while. The
voice Of the people In free country, In
4 Ybrmed by an independent and power
fnl press, stich as this country enjoys,
+ can hardly be suppressed even for lit
I ~ time.
Mr.. Reeds scheme will not secure
popular favor for the good reason that
here II no exigency calling for 1t and
That there are strong reasons against II.
ascheYu uana M, p fo1nn In its cost, In It's
7snveIIln .ady \ long list Of fed
\ kornl o6ici&Is and in its1iRdue tnterfer-
i ence with the reserved po&sere the
states. He demands 1t on the sole ground
that the Republican party il deprived
'sSl2 the Southern states Of the vote of the
n negro population, which he declares
z. uaturally belongs to 1t. lie admits that
4 g h an ignorant vote, but vows that his
& party wants 1t just as II IL, and thinks
# that It 10 as much entitled to II a. the
& Democratic party Is to the ignorant vote
\ " New York.
II will not give any one any trouble to
1ooognize the clap-trap nature of this
. 1agt declaration. II Is as clearly under.
1tcod ~ the avowal that the Republican
Nerty wants the negro vote by hook oI
BY crook. 1t wants 1t so much, In
Speaker Reeds opinion, that 1t is ready
Il - establish federal elections In all the
a states that 1t may get the negro vote In
= one or two southern states where II con.
q eiden that the Democrats seize upon II
II seems that Mr.. Reeds game Is some
/. what small for his candle and it should
< b consideration with him whether II
h worth 1t.
Probably he would conclude other
4 wise but for hope that he probably en-
tertains In secret that while seizinl
upon the ignorant Southern vote will
his federal election machinery he ma,
also contrive to snatch with II tha
& ignorant city vote in New York which
be now assigns to the Democratic party
Mr.. Reeds plan very likely contem
plates gathering In Of the floating
vote of the whole country by the fedora
election officers, which he conceives
! will be cheaper and better than even
the excellent blocks of five method o
Indiana.
We have not much fear that public
sentiment will sustain this Republican
plan Of putting the whole country into
cost and bondage to enable the Republi
Il can party to get the negro vote O.
Aississippi, even should 1t be the fact
that present Democratic methods In that
state seduce the negro from the support
Of the Republican party. There is still
sound public sentiment which forbids
& undue federal interference with the
Affairs Of the states. And when the
states generally are not deemed com.
petent to fairly return to the federal
Congress the representatives who are
& the choice of the people, it will be con.
S 1ession Of their imbecility, which will
argue Ill for the strength and perpetuity
ofthe republic. The vigor Of the United
States is the aggregate vigor of the
states and what can the aggregate be
Il the units are deprived of theii
strength?