The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-07-03

The Trtbuns has so long enjoyed the
distinction Of having a clientage reading
no other paper. that It is entirely reckless
Ia Its statements, expecting them to be
viewed as gospel truths. OF course il is q
crest shame to impose upon the confidIng
: In this way, and the result is an appalling
amount Of dense ignorance among its read
erS. Inc Tribune is now attempting to
produce the belief that the clause in the
Republican platform looking to national
supervision of elections is meaningless. or
that II means nothing more than an ex-
preston in favor of an honest ballot and a
lair count-as though there were ANYBODY
protesting any other doctrine. But the
clause referred to was inserted for the sole
purpose OF assuring the colored people of
the south that the Republicans mean to
make another effort to pass Force bill as
soon as they attain the power to do SO.
5uco bill, it is true, was defeated in the
I ilty-nrst Congress by the aid Of few Re-
publican votes in the Senate, after it had
passed the House. but the president was
very much incensed thereby. and in his
last annual message urged a renewal of the
measure. Many of the southern (black)
delegations to the Minneapolis
convention pledged themselves 10
HARRISON on this ground and resisted all
pressure to turn them over to BLAINE. The
declarations in the fourth plank Of the
platform are the outgrowth of this sen IT,
ment. and mean that the Republicans will
never relax their purpose TO carry out the
returning board'and bayonet scheme of 1891.
The scheme IN question. so harmless ia
the eyes Of the Tribune, such a scarecrow
to the southern people, is one invented by
man named DAVENPORT, well-known
New York politician and ''hxer.n 1t pro-
vides for Supervision of elections where
voting is done for Federal officers, such as
presidential electors and members OF Con
gress, and incidentally all elections WIFI ch
take place at the same time. The LODGE
bill which passed the House under Car
REEDS whip and spur, had for its central
idea such partisan returning board as
was known in Louisiana in 1876, whereby |
MADISON WELLS aud his co-operators |
swindled TILDEN out of the
Beyond that, men under fed
eral pay were to be stationed at tho polls |
during registration and election, under in
structions TO report any bribery, coaxing
OF intimidation they witnessed, also to be
a board of review to count the votes cast
ana with power to issue certificates of
election to such candidates as they favored.
they we're authorized to add to the vote of
any candidate whatever number they
might think he had been deprived of bv
reason OF the absence of his political
friends, and to deduct whatever number
hey might believe had been cast through
fraud. The chief supervisor was TO select
ihe subordinate supervisors for the differ
'nt districts in the United States and as
ign them to duty anywhere, no matter
where his own residence might be. At
elections the supervisors count was to be
he final count, and no certificate by the
governor OF the state based on the returns
Il the states election judges, was to be re-
'eiyed in preference to that OF the super
'isor The bill directed the clerk Of the
douse in placing congressmen-e elect on the
oil, Tor districts where there were return
nR boards, to consider only the certifi- ;
ates signed. by the boards, or United :
states boards Of canvsssers, as they were ,
allied An appeal might be taken to ,
ne court that appointed the return ,
ng boards. Then the contestan: could ,
ppeal to the House of Representatives (,
lected in the way we have described. Be- (,
ind the supervisors were to be posses of
United States deputy narshsls and the en-
ire army and navy OF the country. ,
This is the kind of measure which the !,
republican party would enact il it gets ,
nto power. The president himself ap- /,
roved the LODGE bill, and his whole party. /,
WITH here and there an exception, are ia
orable to the scheme It would have
cen renewed at the present session of
congress but for the fact that the Demo-
ratio party, reinforced by conservative ,
republicans. routed many OF its advocates !
t the election Of 1890, and buried the Re- !
ublican majority OF the House under q
fountain of indignation and rebuke.
The Tribune writer probably never read
be LODGE bill. He has undertaken TO
peak Of 1t in a manner that exhibits utter q
Of its provisions, and makes y
Thatever statements in regard to it
lat first come into his thoughts, relying I
q the blind, unreasoning credulity with !,
-hich his readers have been in the habit Il
absorbing the 7rfbunes moastrous mis- I