Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-02

new exercise of Federal power and an
invasion of the rights Of States.
Nothing could he further from the truth.
Congress has already fixed times for elec-
tIon OF members OF Congress. 1t has de-
clared that votes for members OF Congress
must be by written or printed ballot; it has
provided for the appointment by Circuit
Courts in certain eases and upon the petl-
ton OF certain number of citizens of cleo
ton supervisors, and made it their duty to
, supervise the registration of voters conduct
ed by the State officers; to challenge persons
ofer:ns to register, to personally 1ns1ect and
scrutlnlze the registry lists and to atfix their
names to the list ior the purpose of identif-
cation and the prevention of frauds; to at
tend at elections and remain with boxes till
the votes are all cast and counted; to at
tach to the registry lists and election returns
any statement touching the accuracy and
fairness OF the registry and election. and to
take and transmit to the Clerk of the House
OF Representatives any evidence of fraudu-
lent practices which may be presented to
them.
MarshaIs at the Polls.
The same law provides Tor the appoint-
ment of Deputy United States Marshals to
attend at the polls; support the SUPER
visors in the discharge Of their duties and
to arrest persons violating the election laws.
The provisions of this familiar title of the
revised statutes have been put into exercise
by both the great political parties, aud in
the North as well as in the South, by the
filing with court of the petitions required
by law.
1t is not, therefore, question whether we
shall a general election law, for we now
have one and have had for nearlv 20 years,
but whether we shall have an effective law.
The present law stops Just short of
effectiveness, for it surrenders to the local
authorities all control over the certiication
which established the prima facie right to a
seat in the House of Representatives.. This
defect should he cured. Equality of repre-
sentation and the parity OF electors must be
maintained or everything that is valuable in
our system of Government is lost.
Class Prejudices Not to Count.
The qualifications of an elector must be
sought in law, not in the opinions, preju-
dices or fears of any class, however power
full. The path of the elector to the ballot
box must be free from the ambush OF fear
and the enticements of fraud; the count so
true and open that none shall gainsay it.
Such law should be absolutely non-par-
tIsan and impartial. 1t should give the ad-
vantage to honesty and the control to majori-
ties. Surely there is nothing sectional
about this creed, and if it shall happen that
the penalties of laws intended to enforce
these rights fall here and not there it is not
because the law is sectional. but because
happily crime is local and not universal.
Nor should it be forgotten that every law,
whether relating to elections or to any other
subject, whether enacted by the State or by
the nation, has force behind it; the courts,
the marshal or constable, the posse comitatus
| and the prison are all always behind the
| law.
Not Unfriendly to Any Section.
One cannot be justly charged with un-
| friendiipess to anv section or class who seeks
| only to restrain violations of law and of per-
sonaI right. No community will find law
lessness profitable. No community can al.
ford to have il known that the officers who
are charged with the preservation of the
public peace and the restraint of criminal
classes are themselves the product of fraud
| or violence. The magistrate is, then, without
| respect and the law without sanction. The
| floods of lawlessness cannot be leveed and
made to run in one channel. The killing Of
a United States Marshal carrying a writ of
arrest for an election ofense is full of
prompting and suggestion 10 men who are
pursued by City Marshal for a crime
| against lie or property.
But it is said that this legislation will re-
| viVe race animosities and some have even
suggested that when the peaceful methods Of
fraud are made impossible they may be sup
planted by intimidation and violence.
If the proposed law gives to any qualified
elector bv hairs weight more than his
| equal influence or detracts by SO much from
| any other qualified elector it is fairly
| impeached. But if the law is equal and
the animosities it evokes grow out of the
| fact some electors have been accustomed to
| exercise the franchise for others as we'll as
Tor themselves, then these animosities ought
not to be confessed without shame and cam
not be given any weight in the discussion
without dishonor.
Laws to be Enforced With Vigor.
No choice is lett to me but to enforce with
vigor all laws intended to secure to the citi-
zen his constitutional rights and to rscom-
mend that the inadequacies of such laws be
promptly remedied. If to promote with
zeal aud ready interest every project for the
development OF its material interests, its
rivers, harbors, mines and factories, and the
intelligence, peace and security under the
law OF its communities and its homes is not
accented as sufficient evidence Of friend
illness to any State or section. 1 cannot add
connivance at election practices that not
only disturb local results, but rob the cleo
tors OF other States and sections of their
most priceless political rights.
A WORD IN CONCLUSION,