The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-10-23
FEDERAL COERCION.
che Hypacriticat I:argatn Made tn En-
slave tho Atn-r.can People.

The Hypecriticat I;argain Made to En-
slave tho American People.
it has been the policy of the Repnb-
.ican press in Western States opposed to
Federal 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
oc taken up again.
Senator Vests disclosure OF the agrea-
ncnt 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
you. on this conditions:
Mr.. Hoar, OF Massachusetts, who claims to be
.hc father OF the force bill in the Senate, ex
ictcd OF his colleagues in the Republican eau
.us that an agreement in writing should be
signed by them, or majority OF them, TO the
effect that on the frst Monday in December
The force bill should be taken up and pressed to
final disposition in exclusion OF every other
DILL or resolution upon the calendar Forty-four
Republican Senators, . majority OF the Repub
lean caucus signed that agreement and to-day
she people OF tie United States are confronted
with that agreement, and. unless they interfere
with their sovereign votes ut the coming No
| vembcr election, with the certainty that this
force bill. with all its enormity, will be placed
upon the statute books Is the law OF the land"
This is the first full statement of the
agreement under which the Republicans
postponed tho force bill. Mr.. Hoar de-
mandcd and received the signatures of
~ 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
ernmcnt 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 majoritics in the clecto.
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 pleascs 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 q 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. !"
| II this power Of incorporated money Is
so all-peryading, SO audacious now,
what limit could be set to its audacity
when the reformatory force of tho peo-
pie had been taken from them; when
tho control of the ballot had been
| usurped, and power to loose and to bind
given to few Office holding 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
| bs 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.