Daily Texarkana Democrat. (Texarkana, Ark.) 1890-1894, 1892-08-27
FORCE LEGISLATION.
Are the People of Arkansas Ready
for ItP


for TIP
Speaker Crisp's letter of acceptance
of his denomination for Congress by
his Georgia constituents contains this
terse, vigorous analysis of the force
bill the Republicans passed through
the popular branch of the Fifty-first
Congress-:
The Republican party is pledged to
the enactment of a Federal election
law. | have before me, as write,
the bill passed by the last Republican
House on that subject This bill may
be fairly considered as an authoritive
expression of the kind and character
of law which Republican success at the
next election will innict upon us.
| can not,within the scope of such a
letter as this, enumerate all its re-
markable provisions.
1t gives to judges of the United
States circuit courts, the power of APP
pointing election officers of the States.
1t gives to the election officers so APP
pointed the power to designate an I'M
limited number of deputy marshals,
who may be employed for number of
days prior to each election, at So per
day. ca thousand or more might be
appointed in each congressional dis
trict in Georgia.)
1t authorizes the use of the armies
of the United States to preserve the
peace at the polls.
1t gives to judges Of the United
States Courts the power of appointing
canvassing or returning board for
each State, who shall certify whom the
people have elected to Congress.
1t requires the clerk of the House
of Representatives to place on the roll
of members-elect the names of the
persons holding such certificates, so
that they may participate as members
in the organization of the House.
1t authorizes such officers of the
United States to supervise and control
the registration of voters.
1t provides for the payment of all
these officers out of the federal treas
ury, and authorizes the employment OF
many of them for as much as eight
days before an election.
And finally, it makes permanent APP
preparation of your money for the exc
cution Of the law.
This enumeration of the provisions
of the bill, meager though it is, must
make it plain to all men that lift were
enacted into law, the people would
lose all voice in the selection or con.
troll of the officers who manage an6
certify the result of their elections.
A Judge of the circuit court of the
United States, who is himself appoint
ed by the president and holds his Office
for life, appoints the election officers
All these judges, save two, are repub
lican in politics. If election officers
abuse or betray their trust, they are no
responsible to the people. The source
of their power and authority is thu
judge who appointed them If a Re
publican judge, to advance the Interest,"
of his party, abuse his trust, he would
not-should this bill become a law
be responsible to the people, Gu
constitution intended that he shoul(
be, and to that end lodged in tn,
peoples representatives. in Congress
the power of impeachment, but thi
law removes that responsibility b.
permitting the appointee of the judg'
to determine who is your duly elected
representative. If a partisan ]udg,
appoint partisan election officers, whC
falsely certify that he whom you hav,
defeated at the polls is your duly elect
ed representative, what remedy hay,
you? The partisan election officer
are alone responsible to the partisan
judge, and the partisan judge can onl!
be impeached by representatives il
Congress by virtue of a certifcat,
from the partisan election officers
This is mockery of responsibility.
----------------------------
Nm, Gaoyator,r nf 4ba Eanro,;o Gtaf.