The rustler., 1891-12-18

rsssntafises ~ congress and soc a. ~ a staft
has hern znads iu tas airectlon e apniFiax
thsm to the ehalas hF ths "a stss ~ slertoFs
~ rrositeut aud fice president n thist =
acramplishrd 80 shau then have thrFs
Efeat departments ~ ths government in ths
Erasr of ths EerrFm9udcf. the lczlslafiFs
and ths executive airwcfly and the Judiciary
iniirectiy thruush the poser % appoint.
usut
A siociiou implies : BODY o. sisctors hnv-
inf prescribed qualifications. esrh enc %
uhum has an equal Naine and innuence ia
dstsrmlnlnE thc result - whcu ths ronsfi-
fufian PROV ldea that each stats shall
appoint teleril in sach manner
the isE slaturr thrrref nav direct. .
number of electors" etc. an na-
restricted poser was net given O. the leaIs-
laiures In the selection Of methols 60 -
usfd A Arspuhiican form of government =
guaranteed ifs the eonstitutloa 90 each state.
and the power given hy the same instru-
meut o. the legislatures % the states - pre-
scr he methods fnr tue chalee By tn state.
of electors must b. exercised under that
limitation Tho essential features uf such a
government are the right % the people g.
choose their ewn officers and the nvarest
praeiicauIo equality OF value in the suaraEes
given In determining that choice
II will not be claimed that the power given
O. the legislature would support a laW pro-
ylding tuut the persons re- Giving the small.
all electors should be chosen by the voters
of single congressional district. uni
under the pretcnse % regulating methods
the legislature can neither vest tho
right uf che ce elsewhere nor ndopt
methods not conformahlu 90 republic N
Institutions u i not my purpose hers
60 discuss the question whether
choice BY the legislature or hy tho
voters of equal single districts 10
a choice by the state, but only 90 recom-
mend such regulation Of this matter by coa-
stitutlonal amendment a. will secure uni
formly and prevent that disgraccful par.
tlsan iugglcry Co which such liberty %
choice, if u exists. oncrs a temptation.
Nothing just now il more important than To
provide every guaranty for the absolutely
fair aud free choice by an equal suffrage
within the respective states OF all the officers
OF the national government whether that
suffrage is applied directly as in tho
choice 81 members OF the house Of rep.
rcsentatlvcs. or Indirectly as la the cho c.
of senators and electors of president Re-
| spect for pnblic officers and obedience to
| law will not cease 10 be the characteristics
OF our people until our elections cease 10
/ declare the will Of majorltle- fairly ascsr-
tanned. without fraud suppression or Rurrv-
| mander. n I were called upon to declare
/ wherein our chief national danger lies
| should say, without hesitation, in the over
throw OF majority control by the suppress.
sion or pervcrsion Of the popular suf age.
| That there Il a real DANCER here nll must
/ agree hut the energies OF those who Sc. 10
have been ch.cfy expended In trying to Ok
responsibility upon tho opposite party.
| rather than In efforts to make such pract ces
| impossible by either party.
l. u not possible now to adjourn that n.
| terminablo and inconcluslvo debate viii .
| we take, by consent. one step In the direc-
! tun OF reform by eliminating the rrvmun.
der which has been denounced 10y all partIe.
| as an Influence Ia the election of eloctor. OF
| president and members OF congress-
| Al tho states nave. acting 'rc " and sep
arltely, determined that the choice Of elect
| ors by general ticket Is tho wi.est
and safest method, and IL would seem
| there ouull be no objection Co "a conStitu.
| tional amendment making that method
| permanent II legislature chosen ia ono
year upon purely local questions should.
pending presidential contest. meet. r..
| scind the law for choice upon general
| ticket. and provide for tha ehoire of elect.
ors 10y the legislature, and this trick should
determine the result, it u not too much to
say that the public peace might be seriously
| aud widely endangered.
l have alluded to the "Ecrrymnnder" ne
af 'cting the method Of selecting electors ot
president by congressional districts, but tho
primary intent and effect OF this form of
political robbery have relation to the selre-
tlon OF members of the house Of rcpresen-
tatves The power OF congress II ample tn
deal with this threatening and intolerabIo
abuse. The unfailins tcst OF sincerity IN
election reform will be found IN wiling
ness to confer ns to remedies aud to nut luto
force such measures as VIII most effrctul lllv
preserve the right Of the p roplo to tree AMI
tqpal representation.
An attempt was made I'm last congress tn
bring 60 bear the constitutional pawcr af
the general government for the correction
of frauds against tho suffrage II Is impor.
tlnt to know whether the opposition TO SUCH
measures IL really vested in particular
fcatur, + supposed to be objectionable or m
cludes any proposition TO give to the rlef-
ton laws OF the United states adequacy to
the correction of grave nnl acsno Wledged
evils must yet entertain the hop. that it
Ia rosslhlo to secure "a calm. patriotic CON
slderation of such constitutional or statu-
tory chang s a. NAV be- necessary to secure
the choice of the officers OF the governments
TO the people by fair apportionmoht aud
free elections.
Ibelcvc It would be possible TO constltuts
a commission. non partisan In its member.
ship aud composed Of patriotic, wise and
impart al men, tp whom "A con ,lderut on ot
the question uf the evils connected " tn our
| election system and methods might be com.
mitted with good prospect Of securing un-
animity In some plan for removing or init.
| gatin those evils. The constitution would
| permit tue Ntltttlni OF tut fufitns on tD
bc vested In the suprt me court II that met hud
would give the best guaranty OF impartial.
| ity.
This commission should be CHARGED with
tho duty of looking into the subj ct OF the
law OF elections Us related to the choice OF
, officers OF the national government with "A
view 10 securing to every elector free aud
unmo'cstcd exercise OF the suffrage AID as
near an approach to an equality OF value in
r each ballot east IA Is pttnuable
. While the policies OF the gcneru govern
, mcut upon the tarlfi upon the restoration
O, our merchant mtrne, upon the river aud
hntbor improvcm nt4 and other such mat.
. trrs OF grave and general concern are Liable
( TO he turn ii this way or that by the results
! of congressional elections and adminlsira-
tive ipolicics. sometimes involving issues
, that tend 10 peace or war, to be turned this
way or that b. the re quits OF n prcsi-
/ dcntul election. there Is ghtful interest
IN all the states and In every congrsssio onal
i district that will not be deceived or silenced
. | bv the audaciaus prciensn that the question
OF any body of legal voters In anv state or in
any congrcssion Il district to give their suf-
q frages ire 'ly upon these general questions is
; | a matt r only OF local concern or control.
~