St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-09-04

Fishing.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept. 9.-One
of the first efforts of theD emocra tic
congress will be directed to secure the
repeal of the federal election law, under
which John l. Davenport, of New
York. has made such a reputation as
supervisor of the elections. Senator
Hill, of New York, has taken the IN
itiative in this matter in the senate, and
Gen. Black, eX-commisSiOner of pen
sionS, and now member of congress,
has prepared bill to the same purport
for introduction in the house. Senator
Hill has made such substantial progress
that he has secured the consideration of
his bill by the senate committee on ju-
dietary. and day or two ago the meas
ure was ordered to be reported to the
senate with recommendation that it
pass. Senator HIPS bill is very brief,
and is as follows:
That title &c of the revised statutes
of the United States, being sections
POOP tG 2O31, both included, entitled
therein "the elective franchise" and
FEDERAL ELECTION LAW,
is hereby repealed; but this repeal
shall not affect any proceeding or prose-
cution now pending for any offense
under tire said sections OF either of
them."
The bill prepared by Gen. Black, of
Illinois, is practically in the same words.
and totally aboliShes federal supervision
of elections, incidentally abolishing the
office Of federal upervisor OF elections,
and thus throwing John l. Davenport,
of New York, out of vocation. The
Democrats in their fight to secure the
repeal of this law do not expect to en-
counter serious opposition either in the
house or senate, and they appear to be
assured that the measure is one which
will secure the immediate approval of
President Cleveland. In last January
select committee to Inquire into the
administration of election laws in New
York city presented report containing
the following statement:
DAvENPoRT's POWER.
with the power of the government
behind him and with the money of the
government to use. Davenport has man
aged for years a detective bureau, by
| means of which he has sought to get
| proof of the crimes which he has
| claimed existed in the city of New
| York. When, in his first capacity as a
| detective, he had obtained such proof as
| he wished to use he then, in his second
| capacity as a public prosecutor, issued
fIa fc fA, tt,a. - 0f ~
legged criminals. Sometimes he gave
| these warrants to the United States
marshals to be executed and some-
times, in a third capacity as q
! sheriff. he seems to have made
| the arrest of the accused parties
through his own deputies. Then in his
fourth capacity as United States COM
missioner. sitting as a magistrate, he
has heard hisOwn charges against the
prisoner which he presented to himself
as judge by himself as prosecuting at
torney, and has decided himself upon
their guilt or innocence. Your COM
mlttee, after a very careful study of the
operations of the federal election laws
| before election and on election day in
this city of New York. are of the opin-
ion that all of these laws have entirely
| failed to produce any good results in
the direction of the
| PURITY OF ELECTIONS
or the protection of the ballot box, and
have been productive of such serious
and dangerous results that they ought
at once to be repealed"
Senator Hill and Gen. Black, and the
other Democratic leaders who are pre-
pairing to secure prompt repeal of this
election law, are receiving very sub
stantial encouragement from the ad-
minlstration. Under direction of Secre-
tary of the Treasury Carlisle, the post
master of the city of New York has Just
elected Supervisor Davenport from his
Office in the postoffice building. and has
barred the door Ill such manner as to
prevent the federal supervisor or his
assistants ever again securing entrance.
1t is believed that Davenport will ap-
peal to the courts to decide the right of
the administration to eject him from
the offices heretofore occupied in the
New York postoffice building, but the
Democrats hope that before he can pos.
sibly secure any favorable action in the
courts the bill will have passed both
houses of congress, and have been
signed by the president, repeating in
toto the section of the law creating a
federal supervisor of election, ana under
which Mr.. Davenport has operated fol-
many years.