The record-union., 1891-02-13
SENATOR STEWARDS VIEWS.
He Unbosoms Himself to a Cor
respondent on the Silver Bill.
Grounds for Ills Opposition to the Fed
ernI Elections BiIl-Ciaim That the
East Opposes Measures That Would
Benefit the West.
.spccialcorrespondcnce of the REconp-UNroSl

Benefit the West.
Special of the REconp-UNIoSl
WASHINGTON Jan. 30, 1891.
Since the defeat of the so-called "Force
Bill'' all the metropolitan papers of the
East have very prominently advertised
Senator Stewart and his speeches. II
may be said that SO extensive has been
the range OF notice accorded him it seems
to convey the impression that whatever
Nevada may lack in popular representa-
ton on Mr.. Porter's census tables il is
evidently more than compensated for by
her excess misrepresentation on the floor
Of the United States Senate.
There has been three great political
duels between an individual Senator and
the Administration during our genera
ton. The first grew ont of the PROPOSE
ton to annex San Domingo during Pres
dent Grants last term. The violent OPP
position offered by Senator Sumner of
Massachusetts resulted in his being de-
posed from the chairmanship of the Conn
mittee ON Foreign Relations and Senator
Simon Cameron, of Pennsylvania, placed
in his stead. This was done by an almost
unanimous vote of the Senate.
The second was more successful. 1t
was when President Hayes tried to oust
Arthur and Cornell from the New York
Custom House against Senator Conk-
hng's wishes.
The third. and the one which we have
just witnessed was between Senator
Stewart of Nevada and President Harri-
son, in which Mr.. Harrison has been
most successfully defeated.
While the 'cloture'' and the Federal
elections bill'' were the apparent obiec-
tive points of contest for the champion
ship, yet the known industry and energy
OF Mr.. Stewart in behalf of silver legiSla-
ton has drawn to Mr.. Harrison's sup
port all the influence and power of the
banking and other aggregated capital of
New York and New England. That
power is equal to the office dispensing
patronage of the Presidential tenure, but
Mr.. Stewart has knocked them all ont.
In order to understand the merits of the
great contest just concluded | called on
Senator Stewart for an interview, with
the following result, which is forwarded
for the information of all persons who
wish 10 understand the merits OF the con-
troversy.
THE INTERVIEW.
Cor.-In view OF the honest diversity of
opinion entertained by Republicans of
the right sort touching the necessity for
force bill" so-called, viii you DC kind
W StNt tlt iNfNOkp-oNiOt your
ideas upon that subject?
Senator Stewart-There is no diversity
of opinion upon the question of the
right of male citizens over 81
years of age to vote, and there is
no doubt about the constitutional
obligation of every State in the Union to
pass and enforce laws for the security
of a free ballot and an honest count.
States may prescribe qualifications
for voting applicable to all with
out regard TO race or color, such as cduca-
ton, property, and the like. If a State
attempts by law TO make any discrimina-
ton against class of citizens, any stat
ute passed for such purpose would be in
conflict with the Constitution OF the
United States, and therefore invalid.
The difficulty here presented is, where
the vote is suppressed by violence, in
timidation or fraud without any action
being taken on the part of the State Gov
ernment TO prevent it. The question
then naturally arises.
Cor.-Wh hat power has the United States
to remedy this evil?
Senator Stewart-So far as the elections
OF State officers and Electors of Presi-
dent and Nice-President are concerned
the United States has no more power to
interfere with them than has the Parlia-
ment of Great Britain. Local elections
and elections of Presidential Electors are
absolutely within the jurisdiction of the
make regulations for the election of Rep
resentatives in Congress and may alter
regulations made by the States for that
purpose. Here the power of the United
States ends. AS TO the election of Presi-
dental Electors, Congress may fix the
time, but the States must determine the
places and manner of holding the elec-
'tions. Congress has fixed the elections
for members of Congress and Presidential
Electors on the same day. The election
bilf' provides for the supervision of the
election of members of Congress from
beginning to end, including reg
istration, etc. 1t also provides for
large number of officers TO be
stationed at each polling precinct.
AS matter of course the Federal officers
would influence the election. not only of
Congress. but of Electors of President
and Nice-President. Unless the State
would employ and pay an equal number
of men TO guard the interests of the State
the election would be very one-Sided
affair. If the State should appoint Off
GERS, the Federal officers would be SUI
preme, and could arrest the State officers
and put them in JAIL and then GO on with
the election. In nearly every State in the
Union at the next election all the State
officers are elected at the same time with
the election of Representatives to Con-
gress and Electors of President and Vice
President, consequently the Federal
ioTceS NpUllu operate upon Ine ellUlfe
Federal and State elections. Any one
who has any knowledge of elections
knows very well that band of heclers ut
the polls, having authority to inspect bal
lots ands reject votes, will not eontine
themselves TO some names on the ticket,
but their influence will extend to the
whole ticket. There are about seventy
thousand voting precincts III the United
States, and under the provisions of the
bill, including Marshals. Returning
Boards and Supervisors, there might be
appointed between four and five hundred
thousand Federal officers to superintend
the next election. [ am aware that it is
said this bill is for the purpose of secur-
ing honest elections. My experience
however, is that when you have heelers
OF either party around the polls their OBJ
Ject is to win, honestly, if they can, but
WIN anyhow. The Supervisors held
office for life, or during good behavior
The appropriations in the bid are perma-
nent. The bin once passed, it would be
selt-acting. If all the officers which the
bill authorizes are appointed, the eX-
pense will be q l;ttle over seventeen mill
ions Year. This would enable the party
in power TO dispense with the necessity
OF taxing Federal officials for campaign
expenses. and might be useful in avoid
ing any further discussion of that prolific
question by the civil service reforlners.
II is claimed by the friends of the hill
that no President would be sufficiently
anxious for reelection to use this power.
But doubt that. think we might get
some man in the Presidential CHARIOT
course, we never have heretofore-who
would be sufficiently anxious to retain
office to enforce all the laws he could
find on the statute book TO accomplish
that end. He would probably claim that
1t was his duty TO see that the laws were
faithfully executed.
Cor.-Every American of average re-
speetahility, not engaged in officeaseeking,