The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-09-24

w WASH1NGT0H, Sept. y, 1879.
Hon. William Mckinley, JT., and Others, Com
| mittee, dc.
In my last annual message to Congress
l said:-
must yet entertain the hope that it is
possible to secure calm, patriotic con-
| sideration OF such Constitutional or statu-
tory changes as may be necessary to Sc
cure the choice of the officers of the Gov
ernment to the people by fair apportion-
ments and free elections. / believe it
| would be possible to constitute commits
sion. non-partisan in its membership and
| composed of patriotic, wise and impartial
| men, to whom consideration of the
questions of the evils connected with our
election systems and methods might be
committed with good prospect of secur-
ing unanimlty in some plan for removing
or mitigating those evils.
'The Constitution would permit the Sc
lection of the commission to be vested in
the Supreme Court II that method would
give the best guaranty OF inpartiality.
This commission should be charged with
the duty OF inquiring into he whole sub
Jecp Ck bue EHW u 0l6CtlOuS NJ I6laI6u 10
the choice OF ohacers OF the National Coy
ernment, with view to securing to every
elector free and unmolested exercise of
the suffrage and as near an approach 10
an equality of value in each ballet cast as
is attainabie. The demand that
the limitations of suffrage shall be found
In the law. and only there, Is a just de-
mand. and no just man should resent or
resist it.
1t seemed to me that an appeal to our
people TO consider the question of re-
adjusting our legislation upon absolutely
fair non-partisan lines might find some
eff 1--we response. Many times I have
hayx occasion to say that laws and election
methods designed to give unfair advan-
tages to the party making them would
some time be used to perpetuate in power
a faction OF q party against the will of O
Majority of the people
or this we seem to have an illustration
in the recent State election In Alabama.
There was NO Republican ticket Ia the
field. The contest was between white
Democrats. The Kolb party say they were
refused the representation guaranteed by
law upon the election boards, aud that
when the courts by mandAMus attempted
TO right this wrong. an appeal that could
not be heard until after the election made
the writs Intellectual. Ballot boxes were
thrown out for alleged Irregularities or
destroyed, aud it is asserted on behalf of
one half, at least, OF the white voters of
Alabama that the Office rs to whom certifi-
Gates have been given were not honestly
elected.
There is no srcurity for the personal or
political rights of any man ia q commun-
ity where any other mansis deprived of
his personal or political rights. The
power Of the States over the question of
the qualification of electors is ample to
protect them against the dangers of an
ignorant or deprayed suffrage, and the
demand that every man found to be quail
lied under the law shall be made secure
in the right to cast free ballot and to
have that ballot honestly counted cannot
be abated.
Our old Republican battie-cry, "a free
ballot and fair count" comes back to US
not only from Alabama but from other
States, and from men who. differing with
us widely in opiRions, have come to see
that parties and political debate are but
mockery If, when the debate is ended, the
judgment of honest majorities is to be
reversed by ballot-box frauds and tally
sheet munipulations in the interest of the
party or party faction In power.
These new political movements in the
States and the recent decisions of some of
the State courts against unfair apportion-
ment laws, encourage the hope that the
arbitrary and partisan election laws and
practices which have prevailed may be
corrected by the States, the laws made
equal and nonPartisan, and the elections
free and honest.
The Republican party would rejoice at
| such solution, as healthy and patriotic
local sentiment is the best assurance of
| free and honest elections.
shall again urge upon Congress that
pro visions be made for the appointment
of q non-partiSiRn commission to consider
the subject of apportionments and elec-
tions. Id their relation to the choice of
Federal officers.
n