The record-union., 1891-02-13

spectacle class. -Four hundred thousand
toughs would be much more effective at
the polls than 100000 respectable persons.
Physical effectiveness is valuable force
IN elections now. Very few persons have
any idea of the far-reaching effects of the
so-called Force Bill.'' It's provisions. if
carried INTO operation, would give the
party III power absolute control of cleo
tons OF President and Fice-President
because the States cannot separate those
elections, Congress having the power to
fiX the time of both, and the election of
congressman are similarly situated. AS
TO State elections, the States might fix an
other day for them, but il would take
time TO do that, because most of
the States have fixed the time Of their
elections in their constitutions. Besides,
1t would be very expensive. For some
years to come it would give also the
party i'll power absolute control of all
elections, local rs well as national. If the
bill should become n law, and Federal
Supervisors and Marshals be stationed at
every voting precinct in the United
States, the people would feel themselves
outraged, and it would give the party in
power such an enormous advantage chat
IL would probably require revolution to
regain the civil and political rights of the
people thus lost. II is question of the
absolute change of our form OF govern
ment. Our Government is based upon
local ii-goyernment; the right OF the
people to regulate their own domestic
affairs without interference by the
Administration in power or any other
power. The people are very jealous Of
those rights. 1t is something more than
State rights; it is the right of selt-govern-
ment which is involved, the right of each
man TO east his vote according to the die
tateS of his own conscience without I'M
parial supervision. The same argument
is used in the advocacy of this election
bill that is used by tyrants everywhere,
which is. that the people are not capable
OF governing themselves; therefore they
must be governed by monarch because
he knows better how to rule. That one
man can rule better than the masses is
the only excuse for monarchy.
Cor.-Ilow arc we going TO destroy this
boss business iii the North.
Senator Stewart-Not by the Federal
elections bill; that bill would be
executed by politicians, or, more accu-
rately speaking, by persons who are pro-
tessional workers at the polls. They
might overthrow existing bosses in the
cities and transfer to themselves the
emolumcnts now derived from plunder-
ing the otlicer-holde1s and tax payers.
The sGpposition, however, that they
would be Il better class than those who
now occupy bad ominence by their own
energies is ridiculous. Does anybody
suppose that bosses in cities, who are so
much condemned, would be more vir-
tuouS or honest if they were backed by
Federal authority? They might be more
difficult to overthrow and, therefore,
more confident and eXacting; but TO say
that they would be more honest is simply
Sbsurd. The corruption OF cities must be
corrected by the people themselves. If
they cannot do il, there is no power in
this government to accomplish reform.
The good people in every city are vastly
in the majority. and il has been demon
stratcd time and again that they have the
power to overthrow, corruption and
secure good government whenever they
are willing to exert themselves and give
the subject the time and attention it de-
serves. The suggestion that free govern
ment must be given up because tax
payers do not do their duty, or thai some
evils exist, is an argument against free
government itself, and will not be seri
ously considered by the people. The
November elections very plainly demon-
strated the peoples power against parties
as well AS bosses.
Cor.-ls there any remedy provided in
the Constitution for the evil of sup
pressing the cOlored vote?
Senator Slewart-Ies. II any State
shall set up an oligarchy and cease to be
republican in form, il is the duty of the
United States to sccnre TO such State Il
republican form OF government. IF
necessary, the State could be placed under
military rule until it was brought in har-
mony with the other States of the Union.
In that event, the United States would he
dealing with . single State and would not
interfere with the rights of the other
States. Again, it is provided in the -Four
teenth Amendment that il any State de-
nies to any class of its male citiZensover
2l years OF age the right to vote, the rep
resentation of such State in Congress
shall be reduced in the proportion that
the citizens who are denied the right to
vote bear to the whole number OF male
citizens over II years of age.
Cor.-How was il that such bill was
prepared and received such support from
the President, the House of Representa-
tives and the majority of Republicans in
the Senate?
Senator Stewart-The answer is simple.
The bill was hastily framed to accom-
plish q particular object. II was originally
intended to secure a free ballot for the
colored man in the South, to make his
vote effective, and to place him in power
where he is in the majority. In seeking
to accomplish this result the pro-
motors of the bin inadvertently
left out of consideration all otier
IL.
They had but one idea-that OF securing
the vote of the negro in the South. They
seemed TO have overlooked the fact that
III the method to be adopted to secure
those votes they were providing for the
suppression of white votes throughout
the country.
Cor.-What is the condition of the bill
to-day and what are the chances of its
ever again being called up?
Senator SfnNVart-Tbp hill iS laa1 anf1 I
do not see any chance of rcsurrectiug it.
There are eight votes on the Republican
side already committed against calling it
up, and with the Democrats that makes a
majority. If any of them should die or
fail to respond. there are plenty of others
that would throw themselves into the
breach. In my opinion, the sentiments
ola majority of the Republicans in the
Senate is against the bill, but it takes
some courage to go against the Admins
tration. Although Senators are very
patriotic gentlemen. yet they like to have
the favors of the Administration if they
can secure them without great injury to
will vote against the bill and let them
have the offices. Brought to the test,
however, there are a good many, in my
opinion, that would rebel before they
would consent to pass the bill. They can
not be willing TO change our form of gov
ernment. Voting for a bill that is not to
become 4 law will not injure them, be-
cause when the bill is killed its provi-
sions will soon be forgotten or never
known to the public. They viii be re-
garded as having simply voted straight
with their party. That is comfortable
and convenient way of Sinking respoIisi-