New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-17
MR.. FUCKERS FIREBRANp
g - f--s:.r-----it
WHAT TIE H.ENrInS'- LAWS ARE WHICH,
~ rnorssrs srqj REPEAL.

ERSIDEN0gRATs, CARELESS OF ALL CONSE-
oUENCES. COMBINE IN FIERCE ATTACK
on EVERY LAW WHICH ASSUMES
THAT THE NATION. As Ma
- ,sT1ox, rs INTERESTED IN
- : :NtTI0SAIi ELECTIONS.
Washington, Sept 1e.-Thc sudden rush of the
Southern confiagcrtt in the Democratic majority
in Congress. led by the young and bristns Mr..
Tucker. Of virginia, to repeal the old Federal
Election laws, laws that have been on the statute
books 1os,: more than generation. has created
an acute political feeling al the capital which
cannot fail; to clnbarraSs the transaction of III"
lcgitimat" business for which this extra session
Of Ccn-lcss called. The Southern men ar"
in control Of he Democratic majority. and moth
inc interests them much a. the blOtting ont
of al laws. cllieatlols otherwise" which involve
tie e. SgInp;9n that the United States as Il Nation
las any authority Whatsoever over even Federal
elections. they arc,iutc prepared 10 dickcr with
the iyce silver party The Administration in
tensly in earnest to pass,thc Silver Purchase Re
peal bill. and absolutely dependent on Republican
votes 10 accomplish that prime object, does not
conceal its disgust at the onset OF the freeatlng
SouthorrcrS
Reclining the constituencies of all Republicans
on the subject of Federal elections: realizing. as
The Tribune expressed it this morning. that ne
question of dollars and cents can compare III
the mind of Il Republican with the question OF
the right of every American citizen freely to
cast his one vote and %lrcly to have 1t counted
rs cast. the Administration has desired to avoid
the hot political controversies inevitably to be
aroused by an attempt at this time 10 repeal
the little there - Of National law for the pro-
lection of votc-~Aat National elections But
the -outhcrn Democrats care very little for the
success of Mr. Clevclands financial policy.
MANY of them are bitterly opposed to it. AMI
such Of them as have lent il any support have
done so under duress the hope of favor. Ii
would give them, if not positive satisfaction, at
least no PAIN to the frcbrand they have
thrown into Congress result in such hot poll
teal controversy as TO dspacc every other public
issue What they want of all things else is to
secure TIE same absolute control over Federal
elections as they have over their local eec-
tions and to do this with certainty they must
destroy the right that now exists, and has en-
listed for over twenty years, for citizens upon
petition to the Circuit Court TO obtain the
presence at the polls of supervisors and marshals
authorized TO watch the proceedings. and TO
,erort 10 the court cases of fraudulent voting.
The public ought to understand just what the
proposition Of these Southern Democrats Is. IL
is not a proposition TO repeal the so-caed Force
bill over which there was such lively confro-
.versv four wears ago That bill did not become
a law. II was an amendment TO the law then and
still in existence, rendering 1t more stringent
more effective and less easy Of evasion But,
tborcb il nassed the House il never came to
vote in the Senate. The Southern Democrats
NOT content with the defeat of that measure
now propose 10 destroy all the law there Is 'ha'
gives the Federal courts jurisdiction Whatever
- rodor.l elections They propose TO put
o,ections for President and members OF CONGRESS
inst where their local elections are-ln the hands VI
their boards of State and county canVasS"iS an"
commissioners leaving TO the citizens no appear
whatever from the decisions and acts Oh iocai on"
nartisan election officers If the ensuing law i VI"
stroved there will be no authority IN any Unto"
States court 10 inquire into any occuirehoo az
The polls or during the canvass OF the vo'e l"
onv election of United States officers. Every
thing will be left in the hanos oil 'he ''"'' ""'
county authorities UNI escrvealy.
Tho Federal election laws were passed u.'n"s
the years 1870. II, ~, 80 ahd 49, ~,
nrovidng that persons entitled 10 No'e "
,,orr;tted 10 do so and that penalties snail oe en-
acted for wrongfully refusing u .,,a
,.ot.s and for us4awfuly hinderine them III 'n'
&C. ., tba suffrage il is enacted that IN cities
o.,a towns Of over 10000 inhabitants TWO GU
-. ~ in any county ten citizens, may pe'i'ion
49, C;rcuit Court of the United States LOT 'he
,,r.,dinc and scrutnzing of registration anu CIV"
fiona and the count, on receipt o. ''eii Pe.u,
sbal, anpoint two citizens of different Poii'io''
na,ties 10 he supervisors OF election. i"' '"p
,isors are required to attend al 'he
hoo,bs and at elections, and personally 10 III
.,.o, and scrutinizc the registry ils's an" ~
i,ntoct and expose unlawful registration Al -"
X,o,,s +bnv are to challenge persons WHOSE '"'' "
,oto they suspect 10 be illegal, ana 'hey "ie ~
..a.m.;niz the manner in which the voting Is uo"'
md the method in which all the poll oooAs 'lo
Int ~ s..e that all the proceedings are IN con,
.-.I,';,r with the law. II they are interfere"
All tbev are 10 report to the Chlei ouPH-
s,r;sor nm whom Is conferred the powers oi
..or,missioner of the Circuit Court to take 'es,i
on, In respect to the charges maze IL WIZ
=. observed that the law does not give theS'
.,,,pervisors any authority to interfere WIN '
lions but empowers them merely I" see ""'' "
oo;nc on They are not the arm OF 'he co"''
~ do. hut merely its eyes 10 see 30 that II "a"
have accurate and official information oil all S"'-
nected proceedings
-, ,a,,, authorzos the United States marshal
for given district when appleu 10 ~ n o are
~ appoint deputy marslals ana these "epu.ies are
iO.trrncted 10 aid the supervisors OF electloh III
The verfcation Of any list Of persons VINO may
Lnya Registered or voted The marshal ana ms
danuticS are REQ uired to keep peace at the pols'
to support and protect the supervisors in the per-
iormanI. commits or attempts TO commit, any
son tb ~ acts prohibited by the law but no person
90 can he arrested without process for any offence
s.at com,uitted in the presence OF the marshal or
~ ~. ,tis or of the supervisors, and the persons
arrested are TO be brought before United States
Courts for immediate ccNaminat ton. :, no,v
s.ogioso are the provisions Of the law az " now
.vstS Certainly nobody can call them radical
Sa IT, do mo more than assert the fact that