The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1892-02-12

erted under that limitation. The essential
features of such government are the rights OF
the people to choose their own officers and the
nearest practicable equality Of value IN the
! suffrages given in determining that choice. 1t
will not be claimed that the power given to the
legislature would support them providing that
| the persons receiving the smallest vote should
be the electoral choice of law that all electors
should be chosen by the voters of single con-
gressional district. The voters are to choose,
and under the pretense of regulating methods
! the legislature can neither invest the right OF
| choice elsewhere nor adopt methods not COM
| formable to republican institutions.
1t IS not my purpose here to discuss the
| question, whether choice by the legislature
by the voters in equal single districts is choice
| by the state, but only to recommend such reg
| ulation of this matter by constitutional amend
ment as will secure uniformity and prevent that
| disgraceful partisan jugglery to which such a
liberty of choice, if it exists. offers tempta-
ton. Nothing just nov is more important
than to provide every guaranty for the absolutely
fair and free choice by equal suffrage with
their respective states of all the officers of the
national government, whether that suffrage is
| applied directly, as in the choice of members
OF the house of representatives, indirectly, as
| in the choice of members of the senate and the
electors of the president. Respect for public
officers and obedience 10 the law will not cease
to be the characteristic of our people until our
elections cease to declare the will of majorities
| fairly ascertained without fraud, suppression
| ''gerymander." If were called upon to de-
clare wherein our chief national danger lies,
should say without hesitation, in the overthrow
of the majority, and control by the suppression
or perversion of the popular suffrage.
That there is real danger here all must agree,
but the energies of those who see it have been
chiefly expended in trying to fix the response
bility upon the opposite party, rather than in
| efforts to make such practices impossible by
| either party. 1t is not possible now to adjourn
that interminabe and inconclusive debate,
while we take by consent one step in the drec-
ton Of reform by eliminating the gerrymander,
which has been denounced by all parties
influence in the election of electors Of president
and members of congress. All the states have
been acting freely and separately, determined
that the choice of electors by general ticket is
| the wisest and safest method, and it would
seem there could be objection
to a constitutional amendment making
that method permanent. If legislature
chosen in one year upon purely local questions
should put man Of its choice upon general
| ticket and provide for the choice of the electors
by the legislature, and this trick should de-
termine the result, its peace might be endan-
gered. have alluded to the gerrymander as
affecting the method of selec ing electors of
the president by congressional districts, but the
primary intent and effect of this form of po-
lit:cal robbery would have relation to the Sc
lection of members of the house of representa-
tives. The power of congress is ample to deal
with this threatening and intolerable abuse.
The unfailing test of insincerity in election re-
form will be found in a willingness to confer as
| 70 rap,aIiac opI to puti in force cuch m
as will most effectively preserve the right of the
| people to fee and equal representation.
| An attempt was made In the last congress to
bring to bear the constitutional powers of the
general government for the correction of frauds
against the suffrage. 1t is important to know
whether the opposition to such measures is
really vested in the particular feature supposed
to be Objectionable or includes any proposition
to give to the election laws of the United States
ade luacy to the correction Of grave and
acknowledged evils. l must yet entertain the
hope that it is possible to secure calm,
patriotic consideration of such constitutional
or statutory changes as may be neces-
sary to secure the choice OF the
officers of the government to the Peo-
pie by fair apportionment and free elections.
| believe it would be possible to constitute
commission, non-partisan in its MEM
| llSfSili) duu COiHpOSCu VI peitlAolS, "ioS s'iN
impartial men, to whom a consideration OF
the question of the evils connected with our
election system and methods might be COM
mitted with good prospects of securing unanim-
ity in some plan for relieving or mitigating
| these evils. The constitution would permit
tine selection to be vested in the supreme court
if that method would give the best guarantee
Of impartiality. This comm ssson should be
charged with the duty Of inquiring into the sub
ect of elections relating to choice of officers
of the national government, with view OF Sc
curing to every elector free and unmolested ex-
ercise of the suffrage and as near approach
to an eqaaIity of value in each ballot cast is
| attainabie.
While the politics OF the general government
upon the tariff, upon the restoration of our mer-
chant marine, uron the river and harbor inn
| provcments and other such matters of grave and
general concern, are liable to be turned this way
or that by the results of congressional elections
! and administrations, policies sometimes nvolv-
ing issues tend TO peace war, TO he turned
this way or that by the results Of presidential
election, there is rightfu interest in all the states
and every congressional district that will not be
deceived or silenced by the audacious pretenses
that question of right of any body of legal
voters i'll any state or in any congressional dis
trict to give their suffrage freely upon these
|
Germ or control. The demand that the limita-
tions of suffrage shall be found in the law, and
only there, is just demand, and just man
should not resent OF resist 1t.
NV appeal is and must continue to be, for
consultation that shnll ''proceed with candor,
calmness and patience upon the lines of justice
and humanity, not by prejudice and cruelty"
| The consideration of these grave questions in
vite not only the attention of congress, but that
of all citizens. We must not entertain the de-
lusion that our people have ceased to regard a
free ballot and equal representation as the price
| of their allegiance to laws and to civil m1gis-
trates. l have been greatly rejoiced to notice
many evidences of the increased unifcation of
our people and Of revised national spirit.
| The vista that now opens to us is wider and
more glorious than before. Qualification
and amazement struggle for supremacy as we
! contemplate the population, wealth and moral
strength of our country. A trust, momen-
| tous in its influence upon our people and upon
| the world, for brief time, is committed to us,
| and must not be fathless to its condition