Sharp County record., 1890-10-30
FORCE VERSUS FREEDOM.
The Hypocrltlcal Bargain Made 10 ED-
slave the American People.

slave the American People.
II has been the policy of the Repub-
,ican press in Western States opposed to
Eederal coercion In State elections to as
sert that the force bill has finally been
disposed of; that its postponement
means its death, and that it will never
be taken UP again.
Senator Vests disclosure of the agree
ment under which the bill was post
poned shows how false IS this pre-
tense. "The agreement was made, he
said, in his st. Louis speech, "but mark
yod, on this condition:
Mr.. Hoar, of Massachusetts, who claims to be
the father Of the force bill in the Senate, ex-
acted of his colleagues in the Republican eau
Gus that an agreement in writing should be
signed by them, or u majority OF them, TO the
effect that on the first Monday In December
the force bill should be taken up and pressed 10
a final disposition in exclusion OF every other
bill or resolution upon the calendar Forty-four
Republican Senators, q majority OF the Repuo
ican CAUCUS signed that agreement and to-day
the people of the United States are confronted
with that agreement and, unless they interfere
with their sovereign votes at the coming NO
yember election, with the certainty that this
force bill, with all its enormity will be placed
upon the statute books as the law OF the land"
This is the first full statement of the
agreement under which the Republicans
postponed the force bill. Mr.. Hoar de-
manded and received the signatures OF
A of them to a pledge that, from the
very opening of the second session, the
bill should be pressed to passage.
The present intention is undoubtedly
to refuse to recognize the majority; to
put Ingalls, in the chair; thrust aside
the constitutional requirement of roll
call, allow the floor only to Republicans,
and pass the bill for use in controlling
the general elections of 1892.
Unless the country speaks with de-
cisive effect in November, popular gov
ernment in the United States will end
at the opening of the polls in 1892. From
on and after the date of the passage Of
the force bill majorities in the electo-
raj college and in Congress will be
made up by secret caucuses of Washing.
ton politicians, from whose decisions
there will be no appeal. With an army
of mercenaries, employed by them and
paid from the Treasury, to carry out
their orders, as supervisors, return
ing boards and deputy marshals in
armed possession of the polls,
any President who pleases may re-
elect himself; any partisan majority in
Congress may perpetuate itself. Moth
ing will remain of the free Government
of equal States and free people. The
money of the combined corporations of
the Northeast will have hold on the
Government, against which no majority
of the people can prevail in elections.
The creatures of the plutocracy will sit
in the White House and in Congress;
the will of the plutocracy will be regis
tered in laws which "bind on mems
backs burdens too heavy to be borne. "
If this power of incorporated money Is
so all-pervading, so audacious now,
what limit could be set to its audacity
when the reformatory force of the peo-
pie had been taken from them; when
the control Of the ballot had been
usurped, and power to loose and to bind
given TO few ofice-holdiag politicians
in the District Of Columbia, removed
from the people, with the army at their
call, and no responsibility to any power
except that of their own faction?
The people have the power of Sam
son. Will they suffer their strength to
be shorn from them that they may be
made a mock to the chief men and lords
of the plutocracy, assembled to make
sport with blind Samson grinding in
their mills?-St. Louis Republic.