The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-08-06

In a lOQSreSSloIl0t UiSll4CG Colio1oo-
ing Of half dozen counties, two Repub-
lican and four Democratic. the polls in
the two Democratic counties could be
manned by Republican supervisors,
who need not be residents Of the coun-
ties, but might be brought from dis
tant parts of the district. In the other
counties the machinery of elections
would be in the hands of local officers
The bill, therefore, is device by which
the Republicans may manage all elec-
tions, no matter what may be the poll
tics of community.
Arrangements are made III the OIL
whereby local party committees may
name the supervisors, so that the most
serviceable party workers may be en-
ployed. This is affected by a provision
authorizing persons to apply to the
chief supervisor for appointments.
Care is taken also that supervisors
may be appoinced on the very eve OF
an election, in order, doubtless, that II
it be necessary complaints against the
character of the appointees may be
avoided.
The chief supervisor is permitted to
name double the number OF SuperVi-
sors that can be required IN his whole
judicial district. In this way the Re
publican party can pay an army of
workers at the polls from the Federal
Treasury.
Supervisors may be transferred from
one part of Congressional district TO
another, so that the voters may have
no acquaintance with the men who are
guarding, supervising and scrutlniz-
ing their election.
THE WORK OF TIE SUPERVISORS.
The existing law has permitted John
I. Davenport and men like him to per-
petrate many outrages, but it is inof-
fensive in comparison with the present
bill. It simply authorizes the FEEDER
al officers to oversee the count OF bal
lots and to formulate and forward
their conclusions to be used as evidence.
The new bill requires the supervisors
to perform all their duties, and besides
l. To challenge the right OF any
person to be registered, and to ere
quire' of the State or local officer that
he do not register the name or that he
strike off the name of any person al
ready on the register.
This is a distinct interference with
State elections. There is only one reg
istry list, and if a persons name is
stricken off he is thereby disqualified
from voting for State officers. The
bill, therefore, permits these Federal
officers to forbid citizens Of a State to
vote for their own local officers. A
supervisor can thus affect even town
election.
2. The supervisors are to have access
to all books of registration, ETC., for the
purpose of making evidence for con-
test.
3. They are to make house-to-house
canvass of persons registered in all
cities having 10000 inhabitants or up
ward. They may be accompanied by
deputy marshals. In cities of 100000
inhabitants or upward they are to make
a thorough houSe-to-house canvass five
weeks before election. In other words,
the local registers are to be given to
Republican campaign workers to en-
able them to spy upon people, to lntlml-
date them as Davenport has done IN
New York. and to bring their own
voters to the polls. The Republican
campaign. State and National, is to be
conducted at the expense of the Cen
eral Government.
I. The supervisors are authorized to
administer the State statutory oath If
the local officers decline, and to exam
inc persons offering to vote as to their
Qualifications under the State law.
If the State officers, obeying their
own law, refuse to receive a proffered
ballot. the Federal officers may first di-
rect them to do so, and then, on refusal,
may themselves receive and deposit the
ballot.
AS the law of this State requires the
names of all candidates to be on one
ballot, the Force bill gives to Federal
officers the power to receive or reject
votes for State, county and town Off
GERS.
The law of this State is further in
fringed by the Force bill because it
requires the presence of the supvisors
within the polling-place, the reformed
ballot law excludes all persons but the
local elections officers and watchers.
This provision is one Of the most i'm
portant features of the new law, for
it keeps the workers away from the
voters. 1t is intended by the Lodge
bill that this safeguard shall be broken
down, and that, in the form of super
visors, Republican workers, paid by the
Federal Government shall have access
to the voter.
The proposed secrecy of the new
law is also infringed because the super
visors are authorized to accept reject
ed ballots, to write upon them the
names OF the voters offering them and
to count them. Thus the Republican
supervisors may hold their own cleo
ton, receiving the votes of those found
to be disqualified by State officers. All
this will be done in opposition to State
laws, which requires secrecy and a
single ballot box, and it will affect the
result of State as well as of Federal
elections
5. They are to have access to the
court records of naturalization, and to
make lists of papers and to inquire into
the right OF citizenship of the persons
named. Special supervisors, called
discreet" in the bill, are to be detailed
to prevent fraudulent naturalization.
What can be accomplished under this
power was shown in this city by Daven-
port in 1878, when he arrested many
persons who were not tried, while !, ,4OO
were kept away from the polls by in
timidation and threats Of arrest. The
supervisors may use the deputy mar
shals and the army in this nefarious
work.
The bin repeals or ANIMALS all State
laws that are opposed to it.
It directs the manner in which all
ballots shall be counted The super
visors are to take part in the count. AS
there is only one ballot in this State
Federal officers would therefore count
the votes for State, county and town
officers.
If ballots for Congressman are found
! ~, ho\- n Statac yhprp there