The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-10-26
TuE FORCE BILL.
Tho Provisions OF tho BoEy ths Democrats
Are Frightening Voters With-What tue
Bill would aud Would Not DO II It Had
Hson Passed.


bcon Hssscu'
THIS WHAT 1T DOES.
It enacts the Australian system Of
voting for any congressional district
where the people, in formal petition,
charge that elections are not being
properly conducted.
1t provides for full registration of
all persons entitled to vote in that par
ticular district.
1t provides for the appointment by
the federal courts OF supervisors
charged with the duty of superintend-
ing this registration and OF watching
the election when it occurs. These otli-
GERS and all others appointed under this
act must be OF different political pariteS.
1t makes several provisions as to tho
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 shall be placed in
full view OF the voter and OF al! the
election officers, national and local, SO
that he and they can both see that his
folded ballot is actually placed, US he
offered it, in the box.
1t makes false registration crime.
1t makes intimidation and bribery
crimes.
1t makes the Justification OF poll lists,
returns and certificates a crime.
IL makes it crime willully and
knowingly to reject legal votes or accept
illegal ones.
II makes tho fraudulent substitution
OF ballots not cast ior ballots cast
crime.
1t makes the unlawful removal OF bal
lots from baIlot-box q crime.
1t makes false swearing, perjury and
ballot theft a felony.
And it provides for tho arrest, trial
acluittal and release or conviction and
punishment oil persons accused OF any
OF these onenses in federal court.
This is the bill and the whole OF it.
THIS IS WHAT IT DOES NOT DO.
1t does not "call out the troops" or as
much AS hint at bayonets, or employ
any other force than that ordinarily
employed by the federal courts in the
enforcement OF laws.
1t does not dlsplace the state election
officers or the state electoral machinery,
or interfere in any way with state otli-
cials in the performance OF their lawful
duties.
1t does not apply TO any particular
state or section, it does not refer to the
south or the north, or to any other re-
zion of country Its terms arc gem
era!, and its application is co.extensive
with federal jurisdiction.
IL does not give the control OF the
ballots or of the boxes or OF any other
election machinery to the Republican
party or to any other party, but leaves
them in the control OF the states as
they are now.
It's not force bip' except as every
other law is a force bill.
1t is not Sectional except as the
crimes it aims to prevent or punish are
sectional.
1t does not give the negro any right
other than those possessed by and in
sured to every other citizen.
1t does not interfere with industrial
progress and commercial prosperity,
unless ballot-boX crimes and electoral
outrages are necessary TO the welfare OF
business.
1t does not restrict anybody's liberty
or give Federal officials more authority
than State laws already confer on State
officials.
1t does not refer to or interfere with
local or State elections.