Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1892-11-11

who does not believe such a bill as thil
70 be hostile blow at our form and
theory OF government, and pity the
partisan prejudices which prevents pa.
triottc men from joining in the denun-
citation which they must feel for such an
uncailed-for usurpation of power; but !
am surprised at the hypocrisy of states.
men who urge and defend it upon the
ground of pure elections, and am
amazed at the audacity of politicians
who have devised it as scheme of Marty
policy.
REPUBLICAN CORRUPTION.
Tho country has not forgotten tho
scandalous corruption of four wears auo.
py which the Republican Party came
into power. 1t has not forgotten the
enormous sums collected from msnufac.
turers for the bribery of voters in the
doubtful States. 1t has not forgotten
those two epistolary incidents of the
campaigning Foster "fat-frying" cir.
cular and Dudley's "blocks- OF. fiyen
letter.
And it is yet not ready to believe that
the chief participants in those outrageous
performances aud the principal beneG-
ciarles OF this Wholesale corruption arc
other than hypocrites aud betrayers of
the country's welfare.
The Davenport bill, instead of boino
tn-the Interest of pure elections. ia a
uirect thrust ut them. 10 prevent such
scenes Is characterized the election OF
1888 several States have recently passed
reform laws which, it is believed. will
make bribery and intimidation almost
impossible. New York has such law. Tn
indiana there IS one. Connecticut and
NEW Jersey each have one. Numerous
other States now have them. But the
Davenport bill, if enforced, would
practically render those laws useless.
although its provisions are carefully
worded to produce an opposite impres.
sion.
will not charge that tho trainers OF
that bill deliberately intended to prevent
the operation of those laws in Federal
elections, but when we now know TINT
VIGOROUSLY versatile supervisor of cleo,
lions IN New York is the author of this
bill, and when 1 hear men who sit in
nigh places by virtue of corrupted suf
frages talk loudest in their advocacy q.
this measure, feel justified in the sus-
picion that the party which debascd
thousands OF voters in 1888 is not averse
to removing the obstacles to q similar
carnival of corruption in future cleo.
lions.
THE COUNTRY UNDERSTANDS THE PLOT.
The features of this ubiquitous bill I
need not describe to you. The mere
recital of them is sufficient to make them
cxecrablc.
Under their enforcement there would
be danger OF riot at every poll. The
inquisitoral aud at.itray powers con-
fcrred upon the supervisors of election
would not be tolerated ut times of no.
litical excitement. The country would
practically be paying for n housc-to.
house canvass in every election district
for the information and advantage of the
Republican Party. The sacred right of
representation would depend upon tho
integrity of few partisan officers. The
conflict between the State and Federal
authority would be radical and violent.
Respect for law would be broken down
among the ignorant. Free expression
Of the popular will would be gagged bv
horde of INSCRIPTIONS partisans.
Race pre- udice would be engendered at
the South-fcrce party feeling, if not
open rebellion, everywhere. Govern
ment would be Il sham; it would be
government by an oiigarchy of office.
holders.
If the Republicans should carry the
coming election there is no moral doubt
that this measure will be pressed again.
The party which has so firmly in
trcnched itself in power; the party
which set at defiance the will of the
people by arbitrarily overtrrning popu-
lar majorities in the last Congress:
which has obtained the means of pro.
fuse expenditure by legislative favorit-
ism; which has created States to in
crease its political strength and which
proposed in the Davenport Force bill to
make itself the arbiter of every Fed
eral election-that party will not hest.
tate to revive this bill at the very first
opportunity, if a Republican President
and Republican Congress shall be the
result of this election.
We must diligently exert ourselves to
oppose this great issue of Capitalization
which certainly copfronts us. 1t pre-
sents more serious problem than nnv
commercial, industrial or financial oucs-
ton, more vital to our country's future
welfare, more essential to tn, presc-ya.
ton OF our institutions.