The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-06-26
DENOUNCED BY DEMOCRATS.
The Minority Report on the Federal
Election Bill

Election Bill.
WASHINGTON, June 5.-Representatiye
Buckalew Of Pennsylvania of the commit
tee on the election of President and Vice
President and representative in congress,
has. on behalf Of the democratic members of
the committee, prepared a minority report
In opposition to the federal election bill. The
report represents at length the objection
OF the minority to the bill, which in their
opinion demands consideration and debate,
Among these reasons are the following:
1t subjects state elections for state officers
In great measure TO federal Interference and
control; although it professedly relates to
the action OF members of congress only, it
does practically and in fact, relate to and
operate upon elections of state and local
officers of various grades who are chosen at
the same time with members Of congress.
UsURPs STATE AUTHORITY.
1t interferes with and assumes to domi-
nate state authority as to the manner of
choosing presidential electors in the sew
eral states, power lodged exclusively with
the states. 1t mixes state and federal au-
thority and power in the control and regu-
lation OF popular elections, the in
evitable tendency and effect of
which will be to produce confusion
and collision of authority and to invite
double and disputed returns for republicans
In congress; 1t is unnecessary for the regula-
tion of congresslo nal elections, because
reasonable, and in the main adequate pro-
visions for such elections are provided for
by the state laws. IL involves an enormous
expense to the national treasury 1t ap-
pears that the number Of election
precincts In the United States exceeds
$4,000, and an examination of this bill will
show that upon its full application through
out the country, according to its provisions,
the necessary outlay can be fairly esti-
mated at 81 600 900 for one election.
WHAT 1T WILL INCLUDE.
This will include the compensation Of the
district and precinct supervisors, registra-
ton OF the canvassinR districts, attending
the elections and making returns, with
heavy printing expenses and the pay of a
vast number of deputy marshals to assist
in canvassing and to attend the elections.
lt is no sufficient answer upon this point,
the report continues, TO say that the law
may not be executed in all the congress
sional districts Of the country at the first
presidential ielection, for the bill is of
universal application, and individuals who
are invited to come forward as applicants
for public experiment and public money
will soon be forthcoming in every district,
and the great electioneerlng force for which
the bill provides will be gladly accepted by
the political leaders for the great election of
1899, and for those which will follow it.
The people Of the states, says the report, as
contributors to the national treasury, will
have to bear the whole enormous expendi-
ture under the bill in addition to their pres
ent burdens.
RAP AT COURT OFFICERS.
Continuing, the report says the connec-
fiOp Of hot iO0 ~ fho;r
and clerkS,) with a political and party
scheme like the present is greatly to be
deprecated.
The report makes a particular objection
to the change made by the bill in the number
of precinct super visors. Under former
election inspection acts they were to be two
in number for each election precinct, and
were divided between the political parties.
By increasing the number to three, two of
whom may be of the same political party,
and comforting upon them the jurisdiction
and authority contained in this bill, they
become at once the instrumentalities for
party management and control.
The powers of district supervisors, says
the report, are inordinate, unrepublican
and dangerous. What qualifications or
fitness will they possess to act as returning
officerss What check will there be upon the
misuse Of their powerss They are not
chosen by the people and are not directly
responsible to them for the grossest disre-
gard or violation of the state laws
THE INEVITABLE CONTENTION
1t will be contended that they are not
amenable to punishment in the state court
or by the state magistrates, and against
their punishment in the federal courts
admirable provision is made by this bill.
The juries that will try them, whether in
the district or circuit courts, are to be
packed, not to convict but to acquit Them
These comparatively irresponsible officials
are given power to render decisive returns to
the canvassing boards of the districts pro-
vided for by the bill
RADICAL CHANGES.
The report contends that when the OBJ
scurity of the thirty eighth section of the
bill shall be penetrated, and when former
acts referred to in it shall be examined, it
will appear to make radical change in the
authority for selecting. jurors in United
States courts. The bill abolishes the
Office of jury commissioner and
commits the selection of jurors wholly to
the clerks Of the courts, and these clerks,
from the mode of their appointment, are
almost all of one political party. 1t will be
quite possible that the jurymen summoned
will agree politically with the clerks who
select them.
The report also made strong objection to
the provision of the bill constituting the
final returns of elections made by the dis
trict board OF commissioners to the clerk of
the House prima facie evidence of election
results It says: "We are prepared to say
that this bill is plainly unconstitutional, be-
cause the states have not failed to pass laws
for the representation of their people in
congress, nor made laws hostile to such
representation, and to the government of
the United States in connection Herewith.
On the contrary. the legislation upon this
subject by the states has been apparently
enacted in good faith to the government
and to their own people,"
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.