Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-08-25

natural to observe the general interest
now being manifested in the reform OF
our election laws" Those who for
years had been calling attention TO the
pressing necessity of such reform,
would, be affirmed. welcome the &C
eesslon of any who did not so soon dis
cover the need Of reform. 1.-THE Ma,
tional Congress has not as yet taken con-
troll Of elections in that case over which
the constitution gives it Jurisdiction.
1t was clearly, however,
in the contemplation of the trainers Of
the constitution that such an exigency
might arise" ''The freedom Of the ballot
is q condition of our national life. aud
no pOJcer Ucsted IN Congress or IN the En-
ecutire to secure or perpetlGate 1t should
remain unused upon OCCASION"
Such were the words addressed to all
the people which came from his lips
just as the oath OF Office was about to
be pressed upon those lips.
The sun adds:
In his first communication to Congress
be dwelt az length and with thinly yelled
feeling of passionate advocacy on his pet
pOlicy-federal control Of elections. After
a very rhetorical eulogium upon the worth
and patriotism OF the colored people, and an
assertion that in many parts OF our country
they were deprived of their political and
OF many Of their civil rights. he demanded
10 know when and under what conditions
is the black man 20 have ballott" de
earnestly invoked the attention OF Con-
gress 10 the consideration Of such meas
ures, within its well ascertained constltu-
tioual powers, TO secure to ali our people a
free exercise of the right Of suffrage
Admitting that no evil could justify the
assumption by the President or Congress
of powers not granted, he said, but both
will be highly blamable II all the pOWeTS
granted arc not Wisely but fTraly used to cor
rect these ertlS, " and, that there might De no
doubt Of his view Of the constitutional
power, he added: ''ThS pOreT 20 take the
iCbOls direction and control Of the election OF
members Of the House Of Representatives Is
clearly given % the general government
Out OF these two utterances sprang the
force bin, prepared by that virtuous de-
fender Of pure elections, Mr.. John Dayeu-
port, and introduced int Congress by the
equally eminent promoter OF talr polltlcs,
| Mr. Cabot Lodge.
The force oil passed the House during
| the first session OF that Congress. With
! the beginning Of the second session began
| the great struggle over it il the Senate
Notwithstanding the terrible defeat OF MS
/ party AT the polls meantime, the President
/ returned 10 this measure and gave 10 It's
/ advocacy more OF his annual message than
| in the previous yoar. He set forth the al
legged abuses and said: SIN my last an-
| nual message / suggested that the develop
ment Of the existing law providing fed
eral supervision OF Congressional elections
/ offered an effeCtual method OF reforming
| these abuses" ''The need Of such q law
/ mas manifested itself in many parts
/ Of the country, and its wholesome
| restraint and penalties Will DC
useful in all" and in a spirit Of some
| vindictiveness he declared that 'iss prob
able effectiveness is evidenced by the char
| aCter Of the opposition that IS made TO it,
/ He then took up the bill in detail and de-
/ Tended its provisions, making more point
/ edly, perhaps, than was ever done before
/ in a Presidents message, q partisan bill
pending ia Congress his own measure.
| Nor did he stop here. 1t is well known
\ that he threw the whOleinfiuence of his adj
ministratiou into the Senate fight for the
] passage Of the bill. Doubtful Senators
| were summoned to the White House In
/ different ones were stimulated 70 new In
/ terest and 70 is within bounds 70 say that
| the failure of the billin the Senate brought
| no keener dlsapp ointment 10 any man in the
| country than OF the President. 1t was his
| one pet measure.
With such record as this how can
President HARRISON now listen to the
politicians who are urging him to throw
overheard or 20 dodge the force bill in
his letter of acceptance? Should he at
tempt to do 80 he will deceive no one,
and he will throw away forever that
which is his chief hold on the respect
of the people OF the country, belief
in the sincerity Of his official utter
ances
Politicians OF the school Of Mr.. Ell
KrNs, who have nothing Of this kind to
lose, may deny the force bill, and aver
that it was defeated by the Republi-
cans, but President HARRISON cannot
and dare not dissvow bill which,
though drawn by DAVENPORT and
fathered by LODGE, has been pre-emi-
uently the great distinctive Harrison
ian measure.