The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1890-09-25
o NOT FORCE.
tongressman Lodges Position Is Right,
Everlastingiy Right.

Everlastingiy Right.
"Wo have passed a bilh" said Con
gresham Henry Cabot Lodge at Bos
ton, THAT follows the Australian ballot
bill, and has no force but the @rce be
hind any bill"
Mr.. Lodges position is right, ever
lastingly right. The Federal election
bill which bears his name Is a meas
ure designed to secure electoral reform
on q broader scale than that contem.
plated in the law OF any State in the
Union.
The force behind the Federal cleo.
tion bill is the heak and claw OF Nation.
al authority--tho force that executes
tho law of The land promptly and re.
lentlessly.
The Australian ballot was demanded
in MaSsach lSetts as IL has been demand.
cd in every Northern State, to correct
the crying evils attending and follow.
ing Il use OF money in elections,
The mind and conscience Of the North
ern people have been reused to the dan,
gers threatening republican institu.
tions in that direction; and laws are
being adopted to render corruption al
the polls impossible. But the prevailing
demand for ballot reform does not stor
with the laws of the State, The feeling
aroused has influenced the Congress oi
the Nation; and the electoral reform
movement in tho Nation finds ex.
preston in the Federal election bill,
which was originally introduced by Mr..
Lodge.
3 This measure Is adversely criticised
only by the weak, the ignorant and the
vicious. Every good American citizen,
white or black, Northerh Or Southern,
Republican or Democrat, should be ar.
rayed in its support without reference
TO race sectional or political ~preiudiees.
1t Is intelligently devised in the interesi
of honest elections; and the shrieks al
opposition sent up by suffrage stealers
in localities like Albany, Troy, jersey
City, Cincinnati and Chicago, where
hollish crimes against American insti.
buttons have been committed In the
past, are vociferous arguments which
20 a long way to convince quiet citizens
that just such Il law as this hodge bill
is needed in every large eenter of popu.
lation at the North.
That tho proposed reform is needed
at the South, where nnplo.Saxon su,
prcmacy in lccai and State matters Mas
given t..e white ma8 ia the plantation
'.ates a daWhle voice in Congressional
mat,etS, can not be gainsaid. Such
electoral conditions as those prevailing
at the South can not long continues; and
the North will insist on the proposed
reform. Tho Northern doughfaee
may defend o condition of af.
fairs by which the South Caro.
lima white man has double the ihau.
cnce of a New Yorker in tariff and
financial legislation. But the d~outhface
IS n rarer bird to-day than in ante 5cUUm
days; and, although the extreme Demo.
crat, who can soc in tue monstrous crime
OF Anglo-SaXon supremacy at the South
only II party advantage, may defend it,
there are thousands of Democrats who
deny the double privileges of the South
Carolinian and refuse to sanction Ethi-
opian Acknowledgement. Even South.
ern Democrats to whom tho race oues-
ton is an overwhelming issue will yet
see that Congressional elections must be
free and fair; that, when the p
sion of the colored vote gets beyond local
and State elections, it becomes a matte,
of National concern
The Lodge bill provides for National
control and protection of National cleo,
tons, That is the central idea Of the
measures; and tho provisions embodying
1t are wise and proper. 1t is lacking il
force features; and diligent search vii
1all to reveal the CLEAN of a bayonet
1t is a measure in the interest of e~lectora
reform wherever the National jurisdic
ton extends; and the Republican Con
gross and President will enact it int,
law at the next session of Congress-. -
Albany IN. " journal.