The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-02-12
THE FEDERAL ELECTIONS BILL.

THIS II WHAT 1T DOES,
1t enacts the Australian system of
voting for any congressional district
where the people, in former petition,
charge that elections are not being prop
erly conducted.
1t provides for full registration of all
persons entitled to vote in that particu-
lar district.
1t provides for the appointment by fed
eral courts of supervisors charged with
the duty of experimenting this registra-
ton and of watching the election when
it Ocurs. These officers and all Others ap-
pointed under the act must he of different
political parties.
1t makes several provisions as to the
manner of taking the vote, all designed
to insure the freedom of the voter from
all kinds of interference, the absolute
secrecy of his ballot and the complete
publicity of his act; as, for instance, that
the ballot box should be placed in full
view of the voter and of ali the election
officers, national and local, so that he
and both can see that his folded ballot is
actually placed, MS he offered 1t, in the
box.
1t makes false registration crime.
1t makes intimidation and bribery
crimes.
1t makes it crime willfully and know
ingly to reject legal votes or accept lille
gal ones.
1t makes the fraudulent substitution
of ballots not cast for ballots a crime.
1t makes false swearing perjury and
ballot. box theft felo y.
1t makes the unlawful removal of bal
lots from ballOt-box crime.
And it provides for the arrest, trial,
acquittal and release or conviction and
punishment of persons accused of
any of these offences in Federal
court.
This is the bill and the whole Of 1t.
THIS Is WHAT IT DOES NOT DO.
1t does not "call out the troops,
or employ any other force than that
ordinarily employed by the Federal
courts i'm the enforcement of the laws.
1t does not displace the State election
officers or the State electoral machinery,
or interfere in any way with State
officials in the performance of their
lawful duties.
1t does not apply to any particular
State or section. 1t does not refer to
the South or the North, or to any other
region of country. Its terms are gen
eral and its application is co-extensive
with the federal jurisdiction.
1t does not give the control of the
ballots or of the boxes or of any Other
election machinery to the Republican
party OF to any other party, but leaves
them in the control Of the States, MS they
are now.
1t is not "force bill'' except as every
other law is not a force bill.
1t il not sectional SO far a. thu
crimes it aims TO prevent or punish arr
sectional.
1t does not give the negro any RICH
other than those possessed by and III
sured to every other citizen.
IL does not interfere with industrial
progress and commercial prosperity un
less ballot-box crimes and electoral out
RACES are necessary to the welfare o
business.
IL does not restrict anybody's libert.
or give federal officials more authOrit.
than State laws always confer on Stat
officials.
1t does not refer to or interfere will
local or State elections.
or. in other words, 1t merely provides
a way by which the United States court
can ascertain whether congressional
elections are fairly, freely and honestly
conducted, and by which they can pun
ish those who engage In electoral crimes
Tribune.