The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-12-03

seem TO ms most importa{ Fl now bFisny 81
your attention.
To Develop American stssmshiP A'se~
desire TO repeat with ladded urgency 80
recommendations contained In my hst Ill -
message In relation 10 THE deveioP1ns .,t~
American steamship lines. Inc rocilsou ,.
clause OF the tariff bill WILL DO lsI8oly IN,
tied, and its benefits etfSrded enu ost-
ished. II provision Is not Eontempofsnnseers y}-
made 10 encourage the establishments "a nur
class steam communication betweSn 90
ports aud the ports Of sucn n".'D ,iarget
conmercial exchanges. Fhe steamship car
rying the mills statefly ana ueguhy ~
and Offering TO passe4gers conno ~, mn" 'sD,r
ssfe and speedy transii dsrr 1ns ths order
OF the buyer, but not all that IL ofdereu
or bought II gives to the sailing vessels such
cargoes as are not urgert. or al.
junct OF commerce. There is now both IN TINS
country and in the nations OF Centrei anu south
America n stats OF expectation anl cona ao,1Is
as To increased trade that will Hyt oouoIe
value to your prompt action upon thfs Question:
Water for Arid Regions. -'--' b.
The subject of the conservation and equal
distribution of the water supply or the aria re-
gions has had much attention from congress,
but has not as yet been put upon INA uh.
iect does not grow out OF any large Present
demand for the use OF these lands Tor
agriculture. but out OF the danger ngsss if tar
the necessary catch basins may fall into the
hands of individuals or private corporations
and be used 20 render subservient the ia .s,
areas dependent upon such supply. Inc
owner OF the water Is the owner Oh me
lands, however the titles may run. All
unapproprated natural water sources ana
all necessary reservoir sites should be held
by the Government for the equal use, AZ
fair rates, of the homestead settlers VINO VIII
eventually take up these lands. The United
States should not, in my opinion. undertake the
construction OF dams or canals, Dut shouiu
limit its work 10 such surveys aud observations
rs will determine the water supply D0th
surface and subterranean, the areas capable
of irrigation, and the use, location or
and storage capacity OF reservoirs. 1his done.
the use OF the water and of the reservoir
sites might be granted TO tho respective States
or Territories or to individuals or associations,
upon the condition that the necessary works
should be constructed and the water FUR
nj shed Mt fair rates. without Discrimination.
the rates 10 be subject TO supervision Dy
the Legislatures or by boards OF water com.
missioners duly constituted. The essential
thing TO be secured Is the common and equal
use at fair rates OF the accumulated water sup
ply. Ii were almost better that these lands
should remain arid than that those who occupy
them should become the slaves OF unresh aimed
monopolies controlling the essential element OF
land values and crop results.
Better Election Laws.
II any intelligent and loyal company of
American citizens We're required to catalogue
the essential human conditions OF ufe DO
not doubt that with absolute unanimity 1t
would begin with "free and honest elections.
And il IL gratifying to know that generally
there Is growing and non partisan demand
for better election laws. But against this sign
of hope and progress must be set the depressing
and undeniabe fact that election laws and
methods are sometimes cunningly contrived 10
secure minority control. while violence CON-
pletes the shortcomings of fraud
Pass the Election Law
In my last annual message I suggested that
the development OF the existing law providing
a Federal supervision OF Congressional cleo
tons offered effective method Of reforming
these abuses. The need of such a law has
manifested itself in many paris OF the country,
and its wholesome restraints and penal
ties will be useful in all. The constitutions
atty OF such legislation has been affirmed
by the Supreme Court It's probable effect.
the opposition that is made to it. 1t has been
denounced as IL it were n new exercise OF
Federal power and an invasion OF the rights
of the States. Nothing could be further from
the truth. Congress has already fixed the
time for .the election OF members OF Congress-.
1t has declared that votes for members OF
Congress must be by written or printed ballots :.
IL has provided for the appointment by the Cir
cult Courts in certain cases. and upon the petit
tion Of n certain number of citizens, of election
supervisors, and made IL their duty TO supervise
the registration of voters conducted by the
State officers TO challenge persons Offering
TO register TO personally inspect and scrut-
inize the registry lists, and TO affix their
names to the lists for the purpose of identified
ton and the prevention Of frauds to attend at
elections and remain with the boxes till the
votes all cast and counted to attach TO the
registry list and election returns any statement
touching the accuracy and fairness of the regis
try list and election and To take and transmit
TO the Clerk OF the House OF Representatives any
evidence of the fraudulent practices which may
be presented TO them. The same law provides
for the appointment OF Deputy United States
Marshals TO attend at the polls, support the
supervisors in the discharge OF their duties
and to arrest persons violating the election
law. The provisions OF this familiar title in
ftrfa has
by both the political parties. and in the North
as well in the South, by the filing with the
court of the petitions required by law.
II is not, therefore, n question whether
shall have federal election law, for we now
have one and have had for nearly twenty years,
but whether we shall have an effective law.
The present law stops just short OF effective
ness for ii surrenders to the local authorities
all control the certihcation which
establishes the prima facie right TO a
seat in the House of Representatives. This
defect should be cured Equality of repre-
seutation and the parity of the electors must
be maintained or everything that is valuable
in our system OF government is lost. The quail
ifcations of an elector must be sought in the
law, not in the opinions, preJudices, or fears OF
any CLASS however Po"erIuI. me pain OF mo
elector TO the ballot-box must be free from the
ambush of fear and the enticements of fraud !;
the count so true and open that none shall
gainsay it, Such n law should be absolutely
non-partisan and impartial 1t should give
the advantage TO honesty aud the control
To maiorities. Surely there is nothing
sectional ABOUT lnlS Cfecl, ana II III Suhil nap
pen that the penalties of laws intended to en-
force these rights fall here and not there.
10 is not because the law is sectional, but be-
cause, happily, crime is local and not
universal Nor should 1t be forgotten
that every law, whether relating to elections or
to any other subject. whether enacted by the
State or by the nation has force behind it, The
courts the marshal or constable the posse
comitatus, the prison, are all and always be-
hind the law.
One can not Justly be charged with unfriend-
Illness to any section or class who seeks only TO
restrain violation OF law and of personal right.
No community will find lawlessness profitable.
No community can afford to have ii known that
the officers who are charged with the preserva-
ton of the public peace and the restraint OF the
criminal classes are themselves the product of
fraud or violence. The magistrate is then with
out respect and the law without sanction. The
floods OF lawlessness cannot be leveed and made
TO run in one channel. The killing OF United
States Marshal carrying writ Of arrest for
election offense is full Of prompting and sugges-
ton TO men who are pursued by City Marshal
for crime against life and property. But
IL Is said that this legislation will revive
race animosities, and some have even sug-
gested that when the peaceful methods OF
fraud are made impossible they may be sup