The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-02
NO FORCE BILIy
The Grsvcst Question Betwcen the Two
Parties.

Ffow the Albany Arpus
Tho right Of local self-government which
has always been q cardinal canon of the Dom.
ocratic faith has at limos boon seriously
threatened. Tho party itsolf has never been
divided upon this important principle. for its
leaders since its formation havo opposed every
attempted infringement Of State rights and
every effort ut Capitalization Of powor. but tho
focs from without have sought to abrdge the
rights OF tho several statos and enlarge therc-
by the prerogatives and dominion OF tho Fod-
ernl authorities. Tho attempts heretofore,
howcvor. are insignificant in comparison with
the menace which threatens the entire coup-
try irrespective OF section by the enartment Of
the proposed Election or Force bill should tho
Republican party DO returned to power. Tho
ISSUE between tho two parties upon tits CUES.
ton Is explicitly defined. No question which
Will ensross the attention of voters for tho
next four months Is moro sharply stated.
inc Republican party stands pledged uno.
quivocally, to pass tho Forco bill, while tho
Democratic party. on tho other hand. guaran.
tees the defeat OF this Infamous and royolu-
tonary measure There can DO no uuibblir q
as to the exact meaning Of tho two p,atrorms
on this subject Tho matter is. therefore. ono
that tho thoughtful and fair minded may we'll
contemplate with gravity. Tho conditions
which surround tho electors OF tho North in
exercising the right OF FREQ and unqucstioncd
suffrage Is endangered no loss than those
which are guaranteed tho voters OF tho South.
ihe question Is not purely n sectional
one. 1t affects the entiro country. Tho
espionage exercised by Federal officers an
pointed by Federal authority bent upon
the perpctuation OF its own power. ia dis.
tasteful to American frcemen everywhere. and
1t makes 1t no less 80 because such suryel.
lance Is based upon the speclous plcn that tho
preservation Of the right Of sufrrag, to nil
alike Ia thereby insured. The negro vote has
always boon the boRy OF tho Republicans. They
have maintained that the blacks arc practi-
cally disfranchiscd In tho South. There may
DO instances where the right Of suffrage is
denied to them. but for every negro outrage
committed in tho South by Democrat there
are two outragcs perpetrnted on Democrats
IN Republican States In the North. and yot the
Democrats do not demand Force bill
Tho real substance Of tho measure is OBJECT
lively summarized by the Hon. Adlai T. Steven.
son. who said In an interview recently: "The
Force bill Is nothing moro nor loss than a thu eft
OF tho liberties and franchises of the whit,
people OF the South. challenge to n rcvolu-
tion. know that thoy tho Republicanel in
tend simply to take out Of tho hands OF the
Whise peopie mo TelnS OF Soit government, and
they mean to do it by fraud and Violence" To
the Southern people. who apprehend the
greatest danger from tho proposed subver-
sion OF the popular will to tho purposes OF
autocratic power. the Force bill becomes an
issue as paramount as tho tariff
In this state it occupies also primary place
In the attention OF the voters. for while wo are
not Threatened with the same dire conse.
ouences as the Southern people, We have al
ready witnessed. and tho people Of tho metrop-
oils have experienced. the results OF the work
OF Davenport's marshals. The present sys-
tom. however. conveys but faint conception
OF tho power which would DO vested In Federal
uarshals under tho Force bill. Nevertheless,
the voters con easily conceive how dangerous
" and to what extent the suffrage would
be circumscribod with hedge of Federal
bayoncts about the ballot boxes at every local
and general election. We do not want meas-
ure that will affect tho peculiar prerogative
OF American freemen. that will endanger the
peace and quiet of tho country and abridgo
unconstitutlonally the powers OF tho respec-
tive States. We do not want tho Force bill