The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-09-24


ute by these conspirators against the rights
and liberties Of the people to their treasona-
BILE design.
This scheme, concocted with such deliber-
alton and pressed through the House with
such haste, was recognized by Davenport and
those associated with him as a useless attempt
to subvert the principles of our government
and smother the sentiments of the people I'M
less they could also preserve their power TO
raid the peoples treasury to defray the ex.
penses incident to its execution.
Fearing some accident in the suppression
of the majority sentiment in the country, and
dreading that by some miscalculations
Democratic majority would be returned in
the House of Representatives, a determine
ton to take no chances, it provided what is
known as a permanent appropriation for
all expenditures made under the provisions
of this bill. This was frank declaration of
want of confidence on their part in the de.
generacy and corruption of the American
people. 1t is one of the most extraordinary
and unjustifable provisions contained in this
measure. 1t takes from the people the right,
through their representatives, of controlling
the annual expenditures of their own govern.
ment. For so long as the Republican party
held either the Senate or Executive the ex-
penses could be paid, and the partisan work
claimed to have been done under the author.
ity of its provisions, Notwithstanding the i'm
mediate representatives of the people had
unanimously been instructed by their constt-
uents to refuse such appropriation. This
may not be taxation without representation,
which caused our forefathers to assert their
independence of British rule, but it is equally
as vicious and tyrannical, as it appropriates
the peoples taxes against the instructions of
the peoples representatives.
The true intent and purpose of this meas
ure is clearly shown in the cause which gave
to the Federal supervisors the power to pass
upon the qualification of the voter and to ac-
cept or reject his votes. This provision de-
prived the people of the last vestige of home
rule. or, in other words, of the management
of domestic or state affairs. 1t put it in the
power of strangers to elect anyone on the
ticket, from governor to constable. Is this
not true? The name of the nominee for the
House of Representatives is on every State
ticket but four. | believe. 1t is on the same
ballot as that Of all the State, county and dis.
trict officers. The rejection of the ballot
would mean, therefore, its rejection for
each person named on that ticket. and, to
make it more effectual, the bill provided that
this rejected ballot should be taken possession
of by the Federal supervisor, and by him re-
turned to the chief supervisor. thus depriv-
ing the State canvassing board from correct
| ing the fraud or error of the supervisor.
In a close State, with fifteen hundred to
three thousand precincts, how many ballots
| of legal voters would have to be rejected to
| change the majority from Democracy to Re
| publicanism? But one or two in each pre-
cinct. | charged this to be the purpose on
the floor of the Senate, and urged the major
| ity, if free and fair elections for Representa-
| tives was their object, and not desire to
control the State elections, that they should
offer an amendment that all Represen
tatives should be elected on the second
| Tuesday of October, at time when no State
election was held This was test of their
sincerity, and it was sufficient to demonstrate
to the most increduous, when they refused
| to do so, that the charge was well founded.
| This band of conspirators were determined
| to stop at nothing short of the absolute con
| troll of the government of this entire country
| in all its political subdivisions. This is not
| only consolidation is not only centraliza-
| ton, it is absolute imperialism. If constitu-
tional, then thecOnsttution ofthe fathers can
be changed by Congressional enactment; the
principles of this free republic composed of
| co equal sovereign States, resting upon uni
versaI suffrage, can be transferred by evo-
| lutionary Congressional majority into en-
| pire, whose political power rests upon the
unrestrained will of cabal of political ma
nuipulators. The above are few of the most
prominent provisions in this extraordinary
and un-American measure. Much of the
| legislation of the last thirty years has borne
! heavily upon the producing classes of our
country; it has built up in this free Repub-
| lie an aristocracy of wealth, and turned loose
upon our railroads and turnpikes continu.
Gus stream of unemployed labor whose mod
ern designation is-tramps. ,,
| The interests Of classes have been fostered
! by Republican legislation to the injury and
degradation of the great body of our people.
| The patriotism, genius and energy of our
citizens would, if the iron hand of special
| legislation was removed from them, soon re-
store the equilibrium that formerly existed,
but had this measure become a law, or should
its policy be Endorsed by the action OF the
people on the 9Th of November in the .elee,
4 ton of Benny Harrison or the desperate
leaders of the Republican party, in obedience
| to their platform, succeed in passing the force
bill, the safety of our country, which rests
upon the untrammeled expression at the polls
of the sentiments of the people, would be-
come thing of the past.
Then the will and the interests Of the
| money power and monopolists Of the country
would dictate and control as absolutely as in
Russia the administrative policy of our gov.
eminent. The bill is not dead, but slumbers,
awaiting an opportune moment to be brought
before the American Congress, SUSTAINED by
the aggressveness ofthe Republican leaders,
and receiving in the future, as it did in the
past the powerful influence of an administra.
ton whose head is pledged to its support, and
who, in my judgment, basing my opinion
upon his past actions, would employ the vast
patronage of his office to carry through Re-
publican measure that met with such unqual
flied approval and Endorsement from him
when ii was before the Filty-frst Congress-
| IN the face Of popular election, surround.
ed by the trowns and distrusts of the people
of every section Of the country, the prudence
of Benjamin Harrison has caused him to re-
iterate the suggestion he made to Demo
cratic Congress. | feel justified, however,
in questioning his sincerity when his eyes
were not opened or his heart responsive TO
the soc, 900 Democratic majority which CON
demned his policy in 1890.
Where in his message of December, 1890,
can there be found sentiment WHICH con
demns the provisions of this bill passed at the
previous session Of that Congress, but every
inference from the language used by him
makes him an indorser of Davenport's bill,
and tended to stimulate the radical wing of
his party to that unparalleled parliamentary
struggle which took place in the Senate, and
resulted in its defeat.