The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-07-30
The BILL DEFINED.
Republicans Bound to Do Their Gown"
Counting and Certifying.

Republicans Bound to Do Their Gown"
Counting and Certifying.
Federal supervisors Of Congressional
elections have been employed for more
than twenty years; deputy United
States marshals of the Black Jack Vat
taw kind have drawn their revolvers in
like elections and killed their man for
the benefit of the Republican party, and
have gone scot-free in consequence, but
the election measure which has just
passed the House despite the pro-
test of the entire Democratic |
party and respectable but small
minority of Republicans is a rad
ical departure. We may discern now
the real eagerness of Republicans arbi-
trarily to dispossess Democrats of their
seats. They did not feel that for every
PARTISAN purpose they could command
the united support of Republican Con-
gressmen duly elected, and that their
working majority might be secure they
gave seats to contesting Republicans,
upon whose gratitude and complete sub
serviency they could rely.
The House measure, which may fail
in the Senate through the obstinacy of
Democratic members of that body, pro-
yides for Federal--that is, under pres
ent circumstances, Republican-super-
| vision of all Congressional elections in
any district where such supervision is
asked by at least one hundred voters
therein. Such supervision asked, super
visors are appointed whose nominal
duty is to prevent frauds of registration
of naturalization, of casting and OF
counting, but whose real duty, as they
will understand it, is to look particular
iy to the interest of Republican candi-
dates There is to be at every poll In
Federally SUPERVISED district separate
Congressional box. In many of the
States. the effort has been made to Sc
cure secret ballot The provision OF
the Federal law is for an open ballot
as to congressman, for supervisors are
to inspect all ballots as they are cast,
to keep a tally thereof, to oversee the
local count and make a return thereof.
The supervisors are to note whether
there is any difference between the
local count and their own. There is
provision for canvassing board to be
appointed by the United States Circuit
Court which may or may not be such
returning board as Wells conducted in
, Louisiana, The finding OF this board Is
tc be sent to the clerk of the House Of
Representatives, and is to be binding
upon him no matter what return may
be made to him by the Governor OF
State. The clerk is a Republican, ant
the House may be organized on Fedora
supervisors certificates of election. /
contest be made after such organization
u it must be done before hostile com
mittee What the Republican sense O
Justice and fairness in matters of thi
Il kind is we have had evidence enoug
', at the present session, when Democrat
~ have been unseated quite as a matte
of course. Why not? They were Demo
:. Gratis.
IL There is provision at the end of tn
o. act that any State, if it shall see fl
may provide by law that ballots sha
NJ be provided at the public expense col
-. tanning the names of such candidates 8
,o may have been nominated by qualifie
n, voters in the district, and providin
od suitable regulations for ascertainin
"a such nomination and for screening fro
- observation the ballot Of each voter ar
h. keeping the same secret. This sugge
Ia tion of the Australian system is re
cd dered nugatory, however. by the requir
ht ment of the same bill that supervise
% shall keep correct tally of the vot'
n cast, inspecting them as they are cas-
he and noting for whom they are given.
IN The whole scheme, which if not Il
bic constitutional is novel and unusual,
ho. taken in pursuance of the Speakers d
or mand that we do "our' own registl
ton, "our" own counting, and "ou
aid own certifying. 1t is a device for CO
mo tinuing the Republican party in pow
to through the manipulation of Congr'
sional elections.
an. The suppostion is that in clearly
Tho publican districts this elaborate a
m. expensive machinery will not be set
motion. Herein mistake is made. !.
tho horde of supervisors and deputy m
vas shals must be appinted in every c.
ner gressional district upon the Applicant
= =, of one hundred electors. This does ,
40. exceed the number of eXpectants
IN every district for a dash at the Fede
in payroll, and if the law pass the empl
the menu OF thls teoofu ID. 'i'oAihoiS VIZ
He generai.-ehlcaRo Aiiies'