The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-09-21
articles profusely and well illustrated.
The boys have never had such newspa-
per attention anywhere as they are get
ting in the iaitest city in America.


for Grover Cleveland and free trade.
A man who makes a speech is ex-
pected to say something, and as it was
impossible to say any true thing about
Democratic tariff policy that would
help the party, Mr.. Hill took running
jump at the "foace" bill, as we get it
from Senator Faulkner and Mr.. Mac
Corklein West Virginia.
It is worthy OF notice that Demo
cratic speakers and newspapers de-
nounce the federal elections bill with
out telling why it is not now law and
without telling anything about its pro-
visions, They prefer to denounce it as
an Extensively partisan and sectional
measure, full of "force" and, briatling
with bayonets.
If they were honest they would say
that tho bill was passed by Repub-
lican house and not passed by Repub-
lican senate; and they would add that
President Harrison favors a non.parti-
san commission to go into the whole
matter OF national elections and recon-
mend plan to secure fairness and hon
esty the country over.
If Democratic speakers felt that they
could afford to be fair about this terri
Bile "force" bill they would take trouble
to give at least the principal provisions
OF the bill, for this would show fairly
its scope and spirit First of all the
bill related to the election OF members
of the house of representatives, and to
no other thing; and it related to all the
members from all the states, north,
south, east and west 1t did not inter
fere with the election of state officers or
the choice Of presidential electors. Any
state might continue to be governed by
minority, and the minority might go
on choosing presidential electors, as
certain of the southern states have been
doing and will do this year.
1t recognized the principle that the
people of West Virginia have an inter-
est in the fairness and honesty of cleo
tons for congressman in Alabama, for
example, where the Jeffersonian Demo-
Gratis have just been counted out by the
regular Democrats, and where this
whole body Of white Democrats are de-
termined to have fair show in Novem
Der If they can find protection under
the law, relying especially on what there
is of national law, and intending to give
the law the support OF their good right
arms.
When the bill was brought before
the house it was backed by remark
able showing OF inequality strongly
suggestive of the fraud which was OF
common fame, and was not denied ex-
cept in the north where the admission
might have cost the Democratic party
votes. 1t was thought to be unjust to
the rest of the country that in 1885 the
total vote which elected ten members
of Congress in Georgia was less than
was polled in each of one hundred and
.tifty-one districts for members OF Con-
gress in other states.
There were in the south thirty dis
trlcts which polled for congressman
an average of 4,le7 votes each, 26,67S
votes less than the average in two hum
dred and four districts in the north.
These districts, having thirty votes in
Congress, returned grand total of only
l25,ol5 votes, being 5000 votes less
votes than West Virginia, anothersouth-
ern state though of different stamp,
polled to elect four members Of Con-
gress. Is there any good reason why
voter in cotton state shall have in the
Congress OF the United States ten times
the voting strength OF voter in West
Virginia?
Knowing that the result was not
honestly ascertained, realizing that
large vote was excluded either from
the ballot box or from the returns, the
elections bill sought to give to every
voter in every state equal weight in the
election of members of Congress. If
qualified voters did not desire to avail
themselves Of the provisions OF the bill,
it was to be OF no effect in their locali-
ties and the bad old way was to con-
tinue.
There was to be chief supervisor Of
elections appointed by the circuit court
in each Judicial circuit of the United
States. The chief supervisor was to ap.
point subordinates to be present and
observe and report on the election,
having previously looked to the regis
tration to see that no name was left off
that should be on, and none on that
should beoff.
In a congressional district there was
to be board Of canvassers, two of one
party and one OF the other, who were to
make return to the clerk OF the house Of
representatives. In case of disagree
ment between these canvassers and the
state officers, the certificate OF the for
mer was to DO regarded as prima facie
evidence to cause the name to be put on
the roll.
The law was TO be operative in aeon.