Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1890-08-28
FOR HONEST ELECTIONS.
THE LODGE BILL WILL PROBA-
BLY, BECOME A LAW.

The Threatened Roycott-John M, Thurs
ton Says That None but the Fire Eaters
Will Seriously Talk of Retaliation and
the South Cannot Afford to AntagOnize
Northern Capital and Enterprise.
Washington special to Chicago Inter Ocean
The Republican members of the Sem
ate Committee of Elections have sent to
the forty-seven Republican Senators a
copy of the election bill which they have
prepared as a substitute for the Lodge
bill. 1t is the present expectation that
the Republican Senators will meet in
caucus this week to consider this bill
and to determine what their policy will
be respecting it. The distinguished gen.
tlemen who have framed it are not, as
their Democratic opponents charge, con-
spirators against the peace of the nation
and maligners of the South. On the
contrary, they are actuated by only one
principle. That principle is one which
it had been supposed was Incorporated
into the organic law of the land when the
latter amendments to the Federal Con-
stitution were adopted. 1t Is the
principle which is declared to lie at the
foundation of the Republican party in
every platform adopted by that party
since the war. Unsettled questions have
no mercy for the peace of nations. And
it is the unsettled questions connected
with the ballot which this bill attempts
to solve. Neither the North nor the
South can have peace while any citizen
is denied his just vote by fraud or vio-
lence. No Northern investment can be
safe and no Southern trade profitable
while the rights of citizens, black or
white, are denied by the bulldozer and
ballot-box suffer. Congress by exercis-
ing control of Federal elections which
is vested in it by the Constitution can
protect every citizen in voting for ma
tional representative, and the trainers of
this bill think it is time that Congress
entered upon that duty. The Federal
election bill seeks nothing more The
changes which have been made in the
bill do not alter it's spirit.
The principal changes are the striking
out of the first paragraph Of section three
in the House bill and the changing of the
provision designating district judge to
serve in the place of circuit court
judge when the latter is unable to serve.
The bill as prepared by the Senate Com
mittee provides that when circuit court
judge can not serve, the circuit judge
next in seniority shall take his place.
But If no circuit court judge shall be
able to perform the duties, any district
judge may be designated. Another
change in the bill authorizes the circuit
judges in their discretion to appoint SUI
pervisors from outside of the lists pre-
sented to the court by the chief supervi-
sor. Another provision debars any person
from being appointed supervisor or to
any Office under the act at any election
whenever he shall have petitioned for the
supervision Of the election. The pro-
vision of the House bill author
izing supervisors in cities having
twenty thousand inhabitants and up
ward to verify by proper inquiry and
examination the respective places or resi-
dences given by persons ON the regis
tered list is retained, but the provision
authorizing a thorough and effective
houSe-to-house canvass in cities of 10O,-
900 inhabitants or upward is stricken out.
All naturaliZatiOns are required to be
made in open court and to be recorded
with the decision of the court. The pro-
vision in the House bill directing super
visors to observe and scrutinize the man
ner in which naturalizations are being
made is changed so as to read that the
supervisors shall give to the court infor-
nation to assist in preventing fraudulent
naturalization. The provision in the
House bill authorizing supervisors to be
detailed for investigating naturalization
frauds is stricken out. The provision re-
quiring State, Territorial, or local cleo
tion officers to count and canvass the
ballots in the manner provided by the
laws Of their respective States and Ter
ritories, with the exception noted by Sec
ton 9 of the House bill is stricken out, and
the requirements made that the count and
canvass of the ballot shall be conducted so
that the supervisors shall have full OPP
portunity to inspect and verify all the
proceedings. In addition to three GER
titicates made by the Board of Canvass
ers created in the House bill, there is
provision requiring a fourth certificate
to be sent to the Secretary of State. In
cases of appeal from the decision of the
Board OF Canvassers the Circuit Judges
are authorized to refer the matter to a
commissioner to take testimony. The
provision in the House bill providing for
the appointment of three jury commits
sioners is also stricken out. To call this
a-"force bill" only illustrates the utter
inability of the opposition to attack its
real provisions. 1t is in no sense force
bill. The force bill of 1875 authorized
the suspension of the writ of habeas
corpus and the use of the army at the
polls. 1t in substance gave authority
to the President to make declaration of
war. There is nothing of that character
in the Federal election bill. This bill is
simply supervisors bill.