Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1894-02-17
THE REPEAL OF THE FEDERAL
ELECTION LAWS.


The Federal Election Laws which
have been upon the statute books for
more than a quarter OF century
have been repealed. and the bal
lot-box suffers, political thieves
and ward manipulators have moth
ing to fear so far as the federal
authorities are concerned.
The South reioices, believing that
one OF the principles for which It con-
tended during the War of Rebel
lion has been accepted as sound by
the nation.
However, there is an uneasiness
apparent. The failure of the Repub
lican leaders to filibuster has puz-
zled the moss-back element of the
Democratic Party who believed
that ga fight 20 the death"
would be made.
This feeling ia shared too by thou
sands of Republicans who thought
that the Senators of their party
would avail themselves of the privi-
lege of debate and talk the TUCKER
Bill to death.
but the leaders of our party In the
Senate were wiser than they knew,
The measure upon the statute
books was not worth the effort. II
he's become useless and unless it xas
reinforced by other important
amendments could not serve the
purposes for which it was intend
ed,--namely to secure to every man
q free ballot and fair count. Blu.
what will be the effect OF this re
peal? Since the Democratic Par
ty had become SO violent in it's an.
tagonism to these laws, would not
their repeal prove disastrous to the
Republican Party Not at all.
AS usual, it was panderiDg to q
sentiment predominant in thu
South. II was Throwing the tut
to the whale"
1 Let us see. 1t is q conceded fact
that the Federal Election Laws
were imperative so far as the Soutf
vas concerned and almost useless sc
far as the North and West were
concerned inasnueh as In the form
Ter section fraud was boldly resorteC
tol and murder put into operation
whenever the occasion required il
order to roll up the usual MAORI
| ty for the democratic ticket.
In the latter sections, all OF th'
states have election-laws under tn
| operation of which whenever Their
is a positive upheaval ordinar.
fraud VIII not prevent the positive
depression OF the people at tn
ipolls.
| 1t was to remedy the evil Ia th
South that the LoDeE Fedora
ElectIon Din ws- 1885, 49, -
publican House Of Representatives
then presided over by Speaker REEF
The attempt failed owing 70 tn
treachery OF certain Republican Ser
: ators.
As the matter stands now, there
no law relating to federal electionl
al With the success OF the Republ
can Party in go will come an Q
cuse for the placing upon the sts
= ute books laws which will make c
. liens equally free, certainly so fs
as national elections are concerne'
Had the Democratic leaders lie
the measure which their party ht
repealed upon the books and mae
it less imperative than before |
2 amendments thereto, they wou
= have been In better trim for Il
fight Just ahead than they viii
now.
rs The Republican Party has e
phasizsd the principle that the p
ie ty In power is responsible for t
. legislation of the country a
:" should not be blocked in its
. tempt to carry out it's policy.
The responsibility will according
be placed where 1t belongs.
= Take It all in all by the passs
40 of the TUCKER Bill and the failure
~ pass another measure to take
" place of the one repealed the lead
have added another to the long
OF Democratic blunders e
though it will take them four ye
p to see 1t.
n The Republican Party hes defl
70. policy. It's position so far as
ia elections are concerned is well knC
nd and it will be sure to carry out
~ pledges when the nation sees fit
TO again entrust it with power.