The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-07-22
FEDERAL CONTROL OF ELECTIONS.

A danger confronts the country in the
LODGE election bill. Should it become a
law land it has already passed the House,,
the voters of any Congressional district
may have the control of election for Con
gresham taken out of their hands. The
election in each district will be under the
control of a supervisor holding office for
life, and of such other supervisors as be
may recommend to the circuit Judges for
appointment. Two out Of every three su
pervisors will be Republicans; the other
may be from any opposing party The
chief supervisor and his assistants have
the powers and privileges of deputy mar.
shals. They receive and count the ballots
and constitute a returning board higher
in authority than the governor of any
sovereign state. When we get the
full text of the bill, we shall see how
nearly it approaches the EDMUNDs- TUCKER
outrage in these particulars. 1T seems Ger
tain, however, that the Democrats will be
given dose of the same stuff they recently
permitted to be forced upon Utah We have
here the provisions of the LODGE bill in an
aggravated form in every election, even to
N4S ShOOoALS VI oCuOOl Unlike
certain Democrats at the time of the
passage of the EDMUNDs law, we
are ready to speak against any
invasion of the right of local
self government, whether we are immedi-
ately affected or not. 1t is claimed by the
party In power that section 4, article /, of
the constitution gives the federal govern
ment the authority to control its elections.
This section reads: 1.-THE times, places and
manner Of holding elections for Senators
and Representatives shall be prescribed in
each state by the legislature thereof; but
lhe Congress may, at any time, by law,
make or alter such regulations, except as
10 the places of choosing Senator'S
Congress has thus the right to make or
Alter the regulations relating to the cleo
ion of Representatives The question
arises whether Congress may Interfere at
any time with national elections, or whether
there must be certain conditions TO warrant
Congressional interference The history
of our elections shows clearly that Congress
raay not interfere without cause. What,
then, is the meaning Of the section above
quoted from the constitution At
She time of the adoption of the constitution
The delegates from many of the states re-
fused to ratify this very section until they
fully understood what conditions could
justify Congressional interference. 1t was
then shown that Congress might interfere
In either of two possible exigencies, viz:
l. "Where the states refuse to provide
the necessary machinery for election; and
2. Where they are unable to do SO for
any cause, rebellion, etcn
Now, neither of these conditions exists
in any district in which it is proposed that
Congress shall take control. 1t is not an
available argument to say that in some dis
tricts the colored vote is terrorized. This
may be true, and yet not a sufficient war
rant for Congressional interference. The
plea that Congress must interfere simply
because it is alleged that wrong has been
done, would open the fioodgates to endless
Congressional Interference, and entirely
subvert local self government. Congress-
is not god, nor even demi god. 1t can
do, and has done its own share of WRONG
and should first correct its own errors; and
it is high time for patriots to protest and fo
voters to listen, when the central govern
ment attempts in this manner to extend its
increasing power, or to perpetuate the rule
OF certain political party by partisan
legislation.