The Washington bee., 1892-10-08
GROVER DID TT.
he OFFICIALLY USED FORCE BILL
; TACTICS TO REFLECT HIMSELF.

a Discovery Which Takes Away the Last
Issue Of the Democraey-An Odicfal Or
der by Cleveland for the Use ui wee
BIN Methods to Re-eIect Himself
Especial Correspondence
WASHINGTON, Oct. 8-Another DEM
ocratic idol has fallen. Another
Democratic campaign issue" has been
destroyed. And this, too. by Mr.. Cleve-
land himself.
The Democratic party has certainly
been unfortunate in its issues in this
campaign. Its tariff issue was destroyed
by Q member Of its own party-Labor
Commissioner Peck. Its wildcat cur
rency issue was destroyed by members
Of its own party innumersble, who de-
nounce it unsparingly. And now its
last and only remaining issue, the force
bill, has been destroyed by Mr.. Cleve-
land himself.
wretched person with good memory,
who had listened with amusement and
amaxement to the plantive walls Of the
Democracy about the force bill, suddenly
remembered that Mr.. Cleveland, while
president and q candidate for re-elec-
ton, not only authorized, but absolutely
ordered for his own benefit, the enforce
ment of the very force bill features Of
the then existing law, about which DEM
ocrats are now so much 8gitated.
This discovery has been the political
event of the week. 1t was as much Of
o bombshell in the Democratic camp as
was the Peck report a few weeks ago
1t takes away the last leg the Democrats
had to stand on. The three issues upon
which they were making or attempting
TO make their fight in this campaign
were free trade, free banks, free frauds
at the polls. Curiously every one If
them has been knocked out, and that.
too. by Democrats. But the most dis.
tressing thing is that the obstruction Of
the last one Of these issues left to the
party should have come about through
an official act Of the party's own candi-
date while he occupied the White House
And this he did with the purpose of re-
electing himself president Of the United
States
The facts are these, and they are very
interesting: The 80 called force bill
simply proposed to extend to snail towns
and country districts Of the United
States the law which hss been in force
for years through which United States
marshals and supervisors of elections,
enforce order and prevent fraud in any
city of 10000 inhabitants or more in
elections for congressman or other United
States officials The recent discovery,
which has created such o panic in Dem.
ocratic circles and taksn away the last
vestige Of an ISSUE" was the fact that
President Grover Cleveland, on the ap-
proach Of the election of 1883, when he
was a candidate for reelection for the
presidency, issued to Attorney General
"Pan Electric" Garland, under date of
Oct 8, 1888, the following order:
DEAR sR-You are hereby requested to take
general charge and directica Of the execution
Of the statutes Of the United States touching
the appointments Of supervisors of elections
and special deputy marshAls. and the perform
ance Of their duties and their compensation,
% far as these subjects are BY the constitution
and laws under the supervision and control
Of the executive branch of the government
Yours truly. GROVER CLEVELAND.
Immediately afterward this letter was
sent by Attorney General Garland to
United States marshals:
SIR-In pursuance Of letter Of the 5th inst.
from the president, directing the attorney
general to take charge Of the appointment
Of Especial deputy marshals, the performance
IL.
Rether with the compensation OF supervisors, !"
ut the congressional election in November
next, your attention is directed to the pro-
visions Of titles "a and g. chapter Z title 70 Of
the Revised Statutes. Under sections 2O22
and 2,0H Revised Statutes you have power to
keep the peace, protect supervisors, preserve
order, prevent frauds and enforce the law In
towns Of 5000 inhabitants and upward. You
should make yourself familiar with the stat.
utes referred to and see that they are under
stood by your deputies, who should be discreet
men, impressed with the importance Of an
honest franchise.
The manner Of discharging these duties by
yourself and your deputies Is largely left to
Jour discretion. In matters involving cues
tons Of law You are directed to consult the
attorney Of the United States for your dis
trict for needed information and advice. It is
assumed that the duties can be performed
without infringing upon the rights Of any
citizen In q manner that ahall be firm, and at
the same time free from any unnecessary dis.
play Of authority. 1t is not expected that
supervisors and deputy marshals will receive
compensation for more than Eve days service,
and they should be 90 informed. Within
this time all can be done, it ts thought, tha:
ought TO be. You need vigilsnt men, who are
conscientious workers, and no others.
1t is thus shown from official records
that Mr.. Cleveland, while president, or.
dered his subordinates to use, in the
election in which he was himself can.
didate, the very laws to which his party
Is now 50 strenuously objecting. The
20 called force bill, about which Demo
Gratis are bowling, was the very essence
Of the act which Mr.. Cleveland ordered
his subordinates to enforce for his won
reelection. This is all there Is to the
force bill bugsboo. It was simply pro-
posed law providing Cor an extension to
country districts, on the petition Of citi-
xens, Of the law already in force in the
cities Of 10000 inhabitants or more.
What did the force bill really pro-
pose to dor It proposed to extend to the
country districts, where fraud is now a
matter Of common occurrence, prsctic-
ally the same law which Mr.. Cleve-
Land ordered enforced. 1t proposed to
make false registration or interference
with registration . crime; it made
keeping false poll lists a crime; it made
election bxibes and ballot box stufdng q
crime; it required ballot boxes to be
= I.s- IS