Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-08-25
NUMBER 8,


is, IAN act to prerent fraud in elec
tiOns. To my mind its provisions tent
| to secure that result.
1.-The San would be offended, fancy
if its ability. its candor. or its sincerity
were questioned in its treatment of thf
or any other subject. 1t cannot be tina
The San is dogmatizing about a pro
posed statute which it has not read
Will it, therefore, be kind enough t.
enlighten the writer and many other
by answers to the following questions
II. What section or provision of tn,
proposed law provides for force o.
fraud in the conduct of elections?
! 80. What section or provision o
that proposed law applies to any South
ern State that does not apply will
equal force to New York, Ohio, o
Massachusetts?
.'3. What section or provision o
that proposed law would interfere with
the editor OF The San, or any othel
man, in casting his honest vote where
ever he might be entitled to cast it
and to have it honestly and fairly count
ed, recorded, and reported?.
81. If elections were conducted un
der and in accordance with statutory
provisions such as the proposed substi
tute, would not such elections necessar
lily be fair, honest, truthful, and truth
fully and fairly recorded expressions O
the popular will? If The Sun think.
they would not be so fair, honest, an6
truthful, will it be kind enough to state
why and wherefore?
's5. viii The Sun be kind enough te
point out any trick or device of force
or fraud in the conduct of elections for
which this bill has not provided rem.
edy and penalty?
sc. Will The San point out any sec
ton or provision of this proposed law
containing any terror tending to deter
or to intimidate any man in his honest
attempt to exercise his right of suffrage?
s'Ihe San says this alleged Force
bill is the great issue of this campaign.
In many quarters its judgments and
advice are eagerly sought and highly
priced. 1t is giving great deal of
time and space to the discussion of its
chosen issue; but, so far, the writer
has seen nothing approaching the Bill
of Particulars for which he hereby
humbly petitions. He therefore vent
ures to suggest line of treatment that
will undoubtedly prove instrctive to the
great body of its readers.
ID. K. HERBERT.
''New York, Aug. 12."
l. We reply that no section or clause
of the Force bill that passed the Re
publican House of the Fifty-frst Con-
gress and failed in the Senate provides
in terms for force or fraud in the con-
duct of elections. Oppressive, partis-
an, and wicked laws are not labelled
that way.
2. No section or provision applies to
any Southern State which might not
apply with equal force and equal dang
er to New York or any other Demo-
cratic Northern State; but from the
conditions of the case the hand of Fed
eral interference would fall heaviest
upon the South.
8. Every section or provision of the
machine interferes with
the rights of the citizen and affects the
value of his honest vote in just so far
as that provision or section contributes
to the general result aimed at by the
partisans who framed the measure;
and what that general result is we shall
presently show.
4. If elections were conducted under
the proposed Republican law. such
elections would not necessarily be fair.
honest, and truthfully recorded express
sions of the popular will; and We shall
be kind enough to state why and where
fore.
5. Such tricks or devices of force or |
fraud as depend for success upon the
of Republicans holding for |
life judicial Office; such devices as
cheated the Democracy out of its right
FULLY elected President in 1876. are not
,nly not made impossible by the pro-
posed law, but they are promoted and
rendered feasible for the perpetuation
If a Republican Congress. For the
whole system devised by Davenport,
adopted by the Republican party. and
warmly approved by the present Re-
publican candidate for President, turns
lpon the appointment of election Off
,ers and canvassing boards by Repub-
ican Judges, holding Federal life Of
ices and therefore not responsible TO
he people of the State. To specify
The proposed law requires that the
,lerk of the House shall place upon
he rolls the names of persons certified
IS elected By the canvassing boards ap-
'ointed by Judges who. except in two
instances, are Republicans. and owe
heir own life offices to the Republican
,arty. If partisan canvassing board
hus appointed shall falsely certify to
be election of Republican to Con-
ress, and if the canvassing boards ,
alse certificate shall be sustaAed by :,
be partisan court that created the par
isan canvassing board, that falsely
ertified Republican will participate in I
ne organization of the House. Under
he Constitution, the House is the Judge
( the election of its own members. It
'ould still possess, theoretically, the =