The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-10-21
,lerical errors and to demand ex.

returns of the election bosses, reach
ing the clerk of the House, become
the binding law of membership in
.he new House until contested elec-
tions Gf such there be) shall be de
termined by the house.
With the example before us of the
fifty-hrst Congress, in deciding cleo
ton cases, we may fairly assume that
no political majority once seated in
the House by the returns of the
election bosses will every be over
thrown by contests.
The Force Bill would be enormous.
ly expensive. There are sixty thousand
election districts or precincts in the
United States, five thousand or one
twelfth of the whole number in
Pennsylvania, and with three super.
visors TO each precinct we get a total
of one hundred and eighty thousand,
including fifteen thousand for our
own State, or an average of five
hundred for each of our congressional
district. Assuming an average of
eight or nine days for the supervisors
at five dollars day, we get an out
lay of seven or eight millions Of
dollars for supervisors alone at one
election. 1t is impossible to compute
the cost::,of deputy marshals, there
being no limit upon the number to be
agreed upon between the election
boss and the marshal in any case, the
old limit made by law upon the
number that may be employed being
swept away by the bill; but a low
estimate would be two and half or
three millions, add further the fees
allowed to election bosses, with
heavy printing expenses for election
blanks and circulars and the pay and
expenses Of United States boards,
and we reach grand total of ten
millions or more. This estimate is
based upon the application OF the
scheme to the whole country includ-
Ing the territories, and that it would
be SO applied is PLAIN npon the face of
the bill; for single person desiring a
five dollar day appointment under
it, can easily and quickly obtain the
fifty or one hundred names required
to put it in force in his district in
short, the patronage provided by the
bill will carry it into sure and univer.
sal execution. In fact, contrary to
the impression Of some persons, the
bill is mainly intended for the North
and West, and hot for the South
alone.
BY one Of the provisions of the
bill the existing plan for selecting
jurors in the United States court was
and a new one in harmony
with the bill and intended to
facilitate Its purpose was substituted.
The law once was that jurors tor the
United States court were selected by
the marshals of the several districts;
but some years ago the law was
changed, to avoid partisanship in
their selection, anil it was provided
that they should be selected for each
court by the clerk Of the court Jointly
with commissioner appointed by
the court, who was in every case to
be member Of a different political
party from that Of the clerk-in this
respect assimilating Practice in the
United States courts with practice in
the State courts, as established by the
State law. This wise and just pro
vision, not being in harmony with the
Force Bill, was changed thereby SO
as to conhne the whole power of
selecting jurors to the clerk alone.
AS nearly all the clerks are of the
party of MIR. Reed and Mr.. Lodge,
it follows that the election bosses and
all their subordinates would be pro.
tected by friendly juries against
prosecutions for misconduct in the
exercise or abuse of their power.
Being United States officers, they
could not be prosecuted in the State
courts for Official misdemeanors: and
In the federal courts they would have
packed juries provided for their pro-
lection. They may carry high hand
trample on State laws. outrage Justice
and decency; and by all the means
which ingenuity and rascalty can re-
sort to secure the seating of ma
jority Of their political friends in
Congress, with a fair prospect of
escaping all punishment for their
Offenses.
1t is to be observed also, that, al.
though this change is proposed to
accommodate the Force Bill, it ex-
tends to all jury trials of every de-
scription in the United States courts.
Mr.. Lodges effecton for his bill
would doubtless increase by the ad-
mirable plan contained in it for can
vassing cities in the interest of a
party by the election supervisors and
deputy marshals; all desirable in
formation concerning every voter in
precinct would be obtained by the
house-to house canvass, directed by