The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-12
TIE FORCE MEL OF 1seo
substance OF the Bn which Failed tn
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substanee OF the Mn which Failed The.,
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In answerto many requests we reprint tho
FOLLOWING from THS Sun Of June IL. 1890. It
gives the substance OF the Federal Flection or
Force bill passed. By the Republican House In
the fifty-1rst Congress. Tho bill as reported
made sevcnty-six printed pages
The principal features OF tho measure arc "A
follows; Chiet Supervisors OF Elections In Judi
eiai districts are charged with the execution
OF the law. which is to apply to Federal eloc-
tons In cities Of 10000 inhabitants and up-
ward. and In entire Congressional districts. OK
elusive OF such cities. upon application to tho
supervisor OF 100 voters. or In countios and
parishes forming part OF O Conversational
oistrict upon application from fifty voters Tho
Supervisors arc to guard. scrutinize, and SUI
pervise registration and every act or incident
connected with registration and plans for a.-
pertaining who are legal voters Upon notice
from tho Chief Supervisors the United States
Circuit Courts are required to open for the
purpose OF transacting registration aud cleo
tion matters.
The supervisors are to be appointed BY the
circuit Courts-three in ench election district
or voting precinct, only two OF whom nre to be
OF the same political party These supervisors
arc to attend all registrations in their ,listricts
chailenSe persons. personally inspect an i copy
tIe original registration books and papors at
tend elections. and detect and expose the I'm
proper or wrongful manipulation OF tho lists
In case OF failure Of local election ofl!cers to
put the statutory oath to q challenged voter
and to pass at onco upon his qualifications.
then the Supervisors are to apply the test and
receive anu deposit tho vote. making list OF
all such challenges. They arc also to person
1,uiIn
keep Independent poll lists. and enclose re-
jected votes tendorsed with the namo OF the
voter) in envelopes. In addition TO these
duties. tho supervisors are required to nuke
In towns OF 10000 people and upward-a thor
ough house-to-house canvass before election
10 inform voters upon inquiry where and In
what box to deposit thor ballots, and to
scrutinize NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
In canVassing the votes the State laws arc to
govern. except: All ballots are to be counted
by tens. iirst by an inspector OF election and
second by supervisor. the local election
oincers and the supervisors keeping separate
tally sheets. which are to he com pa red and the
result publicly announced. Ballots deposited
In the wrong box are to be counted. returns
are to be made by the supervisors in duplicate
to the CLERKS of the United States Circuit
Courts and to the Chief Supervisor. who is to
tabuiate ana refer them to the United States
Board OF Canvassers OF the Congressional
vote. which Is to be appointed by the United
States Circuit Court and consisting Of three
citizens OF tho State and persons OF good re-
pute. not more than two of whom are to be OF
the same political party. The Board is to con-
vene on Nov. Is each evon year. and is to de-
clare and certify the result of the election. and
send one return to tho Clerk OF the House Of
Representatives. ono to the Governor Of the
state. and one to tho proper Chief Supervisor
OF Elections. The Clerk Of the House Is to
place upon the roll Of members elect the names
OF the persons declared elected by the United
States canvassers in case there is a difference
In the result reached by them and by the State
election officers. A penalty OF between 81. 900
and $4,000 is provided In case tho Clerk neg
lects this duty.
All ballot boxes are to DO clearly inscribed
with their nature and boxes are to be kept in
plain sight and open to inspection. Bribery or
attempted bribery OF voters or election officers
Is made punishable by fine OF not moro than
$4,000 or Imprisonment for not moro than five
years or both. Like severe penalties are pro.
vidcd for false registration and voting re-
peating. coercion Of supervisors or voters. i'm
proper conduct Of election officers false can
wasting. balot-box stufling. fraudulent ballot
distribution. resistance to q supervisors law
full commands breach Of the peace at registra-
ton or election. intimidation. and almost
every kind Of election fraud.
It's not necessarily to be supposed that tho
Republican revolutionists would revive the
Force bill absolutely as 1t passed the House In
1880: but certainly tho main and worst fea-
tures OF that bill would DO In their new bill
with additional sections more infamous yet
where the experience OF two years. dlsappoint-
ed malice might show them to be needed to So
cure the perpetuation OF Republican misruls