The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1890-07-18

just What Congress Proposes.
In an Extreme Case None Hut Republicau
Representatives Night bs Declared Elected
IgncrsA. -
IN. Y. Compercisl Advertiser
Tho Lodge federal election bill. or
force bill" ~ Il IL called u . very long
document. II contaips three tin,es ~
many words as the copstiiution Of the
Uuited States. Few pcrsons have read
il all through. and fewer understand just
how il will affect the voting for con.
gressmen on next election day IN case
the bill! becomes a law. II is Intended
mainly for enforcement in the sOuthcru
states. but il may be applied 10 this city
on tho request Of Ice voters IN apy cou-
grcssional district.
Two most inpcrtsut things stand ont
prouiinept In the bill. although II appears
that ~ attempt had been made 10 cover
them with verbiage. First, the bin takes
away absolutely from every state the
control over its election OF its own con-
grcesmen. The state Is still allowed 70
have IT. election inspectors, aud the
voting u done according 10 the state
laws, but the inspectors become. prac
'tically, Z set Of dummies. Their reports
Iof The results Of elections may b thrown
lout In every case.
Az every voting place there will b.
three federal supervisors, two OF whom
will be Of the domiuaut political party
,These supervisors wili watch the voting
mote down the voters who they think
have right 10 vote, and those who have
mot right 10 vote. They can challenge
Votes, and In case the inepectors allow
such votes 10 be cast. the supervisors car
I.'blackIist' them ON their books. AtteI
the polls close the inspectors and super
.visors iuake up thei.' couuts OF the votes
snd the reports are forwarded 70 ths
chief supervisor OF the district. " ths
reports differ. IS they are likely 10 IL
most cases, they are referred by : u. s
circuit court judge of the dominant po
litical party 10 board Of state can
vsssers. the majority OF whom are OF ths
ssme party. and this board makes th.
insI decision and issues certificate o
ELECTION. TIE board can wholly ignor,
the state inspectors. IN other words. 4
can nuliify the state laws aud the actor
lOs the regular officers Of the state. And
liz can enforce lis decisions. BY Z pro
vision al the Lodge bill the clerk Of thu
house Of representatives is obliged undcI
penalty 0f imprisonment and fine 10 en-
ter on the roll Of the house the nance o
such men as the board of canvassers de-
lclsre "a be elected. Therefore, although
lour election inspectors may declare thai
- o1orfnH N rouUroar skn fo.l,~.
hoard Of cauvHssers may declare !
elected ana scst him.
The secopd point that stands ont promi.
|nent in the bill is . consequence VI the
Idrst. II Il this, that the dominsnt po.
Ilitical party, IL II has coutrol az the cir.
cult judges and IL il u interruptions
Enough, can return one Of its membe
from every congressional district IL the
Umisod States.
To ILLUSTRATE: IL the Lo igs bill be.
Icomes law. II il possible 10 ill every
seat In congress next year with repub-
lican. OF course no such extreme viii
be resorted to; but the question Of su-
preme interest 10 hOnes( voters Is moi
what may be done, but what can be
done.
Here IL how I full republican congress
could DO elected: According to the
Lodge bill. there will he nine republican
chief supervisors, ono for each United
Ststes circuit district. Of the circuit
court judges at present. eight ere repub-
Iicans, aud two. Lscombc and Jackson.
are democrats. Il may be mentioned
here that the reason why there ere ten
judges for nine circuits 10 thst, hy act Of
congress few years ago. New York was
given two judges. The number OF
judges, u : bill recently passed IN the
honsc becomes . law, will be increased
TO twenty sscven, three for each district.
or course, I'll the seventeen new sp-
p0intoes will DO republicans. So by
next fell the circuit courts would stand,
% 10 political complexion, twenty eve
republicans and two democrats. In
other words, the republicans would have
q majority Of the court IN every district
In the United States.
Now. according 10 tho Lodge bill, The
supervisors Of districts would select
their favorite judges aud ask them 10 sp-
point boards OF state csnvsssers. The
jud1es would apuaint two republicans 3