The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-08-14
The Elections Bill,
PROVISIONS OF THE MEASURE AS REPORTED BY
THE SENATE

PROVISIONS OF THE MEASURE AS RiPoRrrn nv
THE SENATE.
The federal elections bill was reported to IL a
Senate committee on privileges and elections.
In coinhilteee the democrats were solidly OPP
posed to reporting the measure ana on the Re
publican side Mr. Teller reserved the to offer
amendments on tile floor of the Senate The
bill mas been materially changed by the Senate
rial committee. 1t has been abbreviated seven
teen pages and in general way has been care
fully amended to suit the more conservative
ideas of Senators. In committee all reference
to that section Of the Revised Statutes which, it
was claimed, provides TO the presence OF troops
at the polls was stricken out, so that there is no
change from the present law in that +, spect.
The house-to-house canvas provided for in IL
House oil! was stricken out The provision for
drawing juries by commissioners was omitted,
leaving the law as at present on the books. The
penal offenses were simplified, and were made
misdemeanors instead of felonies. Tie punish
ments were modified, the highest punishment
imposed being three years inpli,ui ment and a
fine of $l,GtO, as against imprisonment for five
years and fine OF $1,000 in the House BILL The
judge of tie circuit court before whom applica-
ton is made for the appointment of supervisors
Is authorized TO appoint as supervisors any per-
sons ne may see MT, not being confined in his se
lection to the list furnished by the chief super
visor. Provision is made for careful contr(,
and specification Of fees that may be charged
by the supervisors, which are less in the substi-
tute than those named i'll the House bill. In
cases where ballots are cast in the wrong box
they are not to be counted unless the tally sheet
shows that the votes for congressman do not
equal the number of names on the poll list;
then enough of votes SO wrongly cast shall be
added to the tally sheet to make the total equal
to the whole number OF votes shown to be cast
Where the election officers refuse to administer
oaths to voters applying therefor it is provided
IN the bill that the supervisors shall administer
the oath and keep record thereof. But no eff
fort shall be made to have the vote thus refused
cast, the object being merely to preserve the
testimony of the application and refusal.
Senator Hoar, who is responsible for most Of
the amendatOry work, makes a very clear state
ment of the bill. 1.-The substance of the pre-
posed law said he, lis this: Whenever applica-
zion is made to judge of circuit court for the
inspection of the election i'll any city or town of
2O,0O0.inabitants or upward or OF any county
township, parish or precinct, officers may be ap,
pointed for that purpose, three in each precnct.
of whom not more than two shall be of one po-
litical party. It is made their duty to SUPERVISE
inspect ana witness the election, but the regis
tration and the election and the certfcation OF |
the result thereof are left in the hands of the I
local dutIloflCieS. Wnen inspection is provided |
for a whole Congressional district, however /
there shall be three State commissioners APP
pointed by the court, not more than two Of /
whom shall be of one political party, who shall
issue certificate of the result of the election in
that district. The certificate thus made shall be
used by the Clerk of the House in making up his
FOIL at members. Any PERSON who shall make
under oath statement that he believes he is
entitled to certificate Of election may have
the case examined by the judge of circuit court
II that judge find that the certificate of the
commissioners Is not correct he shall issue a
certificate, and that certificate shall be final I'M
til the case is acted on by the House of Repre-
sentatives. 1t shall be prima facie evidence of
the right of the person named therein to seat
in the House. The rest of the provisions are
merely an extension of the Law WHICH has been
enforced in New York State for number of
years.