Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1898-08-05


calls How the Act was Passed Civ
ing the Soldier In the Field the Right |
to vote; and Tells How One of Pres
ident Lincoln's Paroles Was stretch
ed From Twenty-four Hours to
Twenty Years.
Especial Correspondence
Philadelphia, Aug. 2.
"That resolution adopted so enthusl-
astically by the Republican state COM
mittee brings to my mind the early
sixties as though the years since then
had been weeks"
1t was in the course of chat win
Colonel A. X. Mcclure, most brilliaht
of free lance editors, that he SAID this'
and we happened to be DISCUSSING fhe
resolution by which the Republican
marty. now. as in the sixties, and in all
the intervening years, has been as
tinctly the party of the soldier, whether
In maintaining him i'm his full right of
suffrage or in standing guard over the
legislation out of which have come
pensions. soldiers homes and soldiers
orphan schools.
'"That resolution reaffirming as sound
Republican doctrine the declaration
that the right of suffrage keeps step
with the American soldier wherever he
follows the flag of his country, contln-
ued the colonel, "affirms fact in law,
so far as Pennsylvania is concerned
and one which the Republican party
after a determined struggle put into
the very constitution of the common
wealth. The subcommittee to be ap-
pointed by State Chairman Elkln TO
take such steps as may be necessary
| TO see that this right is insured to every
| Pennsylvania soldier who is now IN
| the service of his country, wherever ne
may be, without regard to zone or hem-
klsphere, will have no heavier duties
| than merely to remind the governor IL
| any reminder had been necessary, as
| don't suppose II was in the present
case, of his prerogatives under the act
| of 1884 passed in pursuance OF the
| amendment to the constitution adopted
| in the same year. That Is still the law
of the state, and while 1 do not fancy
| that the result of the election In Penn
sylvania this fall will be so close that
we will have to wait in uncertainty
until the official returns from the Ma
| nua bav nrecinct are received and
counted, there is no question in my
mind as to the right of the Pennsylva-
MIA soldiers to vote, whether they are
in the Philippines in Cuba or in Porto
Rico. For this purpose the American
flag makes everything In sight of 1t
American territory on election day.
what a rousing majority there Is
| likely to be in Cavite township for
Aleck Hawkins for state senator from
the Washington Beaver district by the
way. for he is the Republican candi-
date, and has his Tenth regiment there
with him. And there is Willis Hulings
who is somewhere in Porto Rico with
the Sixteenth, and may be Heaven
| knows where on election day. If they
don't make peace too fast at Washing
ton the returns from Barcelona or
| Cadiz, or even the Madrid districts,
may have an interesting bearing on the
next representation at Harrisburg from
one Of our oil country districts.
"The question of the right of the SOL
dier in the field to vote was raised in
the congressional election of 1852" con-
tinued Colonel Mcclure, "in case
where some soldier votes were the
balance of power in one of the Phila-
delphia districts. On a contest the
question got to the supreme court OF
the state, and the soldier votes were
| thrown OUT III VI dh OpAhAOAi
written by woodward. The Republi-
can party Immediately accepted the
issue. The necessary resolution for
submitting a constitutional amendment
to a vote of the people was pressed
through two successive legislatures, as
required; II went to a vote of the peo-
ple in the early summer of 64, was
carried, and the legislature convened
in special session to pass the act re-
quired to carry 1t into effect.
'I had some influence in Republican
councils at the time" he added, mod
estly Che was chairman OF the Repub-
lican state committee in 1860, had A
latchkey to the White House so long
as President Lincoln occupied 1t, and
was the power behind the throne in
both the Curtin administrations). 81
did the best 1 could, and so did Gov.
ernor Curtin, to make the bill fair ano
lust. It was war times then, as now
The Republicans, of course. had the
people overwhelmingly with them ir
Pennsylvania, and while they had not
the relative numerical strength they
have now. the war swept all other ques
tions out of the public mind. 1t is a.
Shakespeare put II in what might b'
the saying of a shrewd and observing
| politician OF uncommon lninBi
make common things forgotten. Th'
Republicans could have passed am
sort of an election law they pleased 4
they had seen fit to take unfair ad
vantage of their strength.
After the law was passed 1 suggest
ed to Curtin that he appoint some rep
, resentative Democrats among the elec
tion commissioners provided for, an,
among others he appointed Jerry Nc
, Kibben, of this city. McKibben hest
tated about accepting, and said to me
"If Stanton catches me in Washing
ton he'll put me into the capital prison
sure but on my assurance that n
I, would be properly supported and pro
, tected, ne went There was an oil
Q feud between the secretary Of war an
the McKibbens, and Stanton was no
only jealous official, but one of tn
best haters OF a time when animosi
ties were especially hot. Wen, l got
telegram a few days later. saying:
= = ~ am in capital prison. Come an
get me out'-and signed McKibben.
Il telegraphed the president, sayin
l must see him that night. and wen
, over. found that one of the printer.
! In setting up the blank tally sheet
q furnished to the commissioners, ha,
inadvertently dropped of the name O
}, one OF the Republican candidates 70
elector. McKibben knew nothing of II
G and II could have had no effect on tn
result, but Stanton, with that micro