Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-01-27
IPOPUIlAR ELEC TON PLAN TO
IINVOL VIE DLSFRANCHISEzNENT?
Opponents in Senate Seek to Amend Proposition So as to
Have CONGRESS Control EeCtionn StatesBacon- Suth-
eFand G0loqlN ""'' r.yH vs. fper as 8s . .~a2

derstand, might be, a question upon
which, people would very greatly. differ.
The question that / desire TO ask the
senator Is not whether or mot it would
be done, but whether or not 1t could be
done under the amendment proposed by
the SENATOR Would 1t not be within
the power of the federalr gopernn1ef1F to
station agents IN every state TO superS
Wise elections of senators and RIO des
termipe the manner In which they were
carried on7 .as1 ,ssiseSa ssxssS~ ). q
Mr.. Sutherland Mr. President. thu
congress would have precisely the same
power over that which It NOW has over
the. election of Representatives
8 Mr.. Bacon. - But. Mr. PRESIDENT am
sure the seHRtor from Utah willSs.nct
evads a direct answer. a 3 & "a y
Ah Sutherland. Will the senator par
dom me 1monient "a am not going to
Undertake to tell the senator whether OF
not. in my opinions every provision OF
the so-ealled force bill was valid because
have not those various provisions in
mind think congress, under this lam
guage, would have the power If ii chose
to exert it to provide for the supervision
Of the election of representatives and
senator's of the United States, and that
whatever may be included within thai
the power to do. zsfs'
Mr.. Bacon. Then the senator viii not
object to answering the Question which ]
proposed to hfm-of course, 1 will not
press IT IL he sobjects-whether, in the
opinion of the senator, with the adoption
OF this amendment, 1t would be within
the power of congress to enact a law
which would enable the federal govern
ment to station agents at every poll
whenever senator was elected, to SUI
pervtse the election. Does the senator
think it would or would not?
Mr. Sutherland. think congress
would have that power, Mr.. President.
Mr. Bacon. Exactly. Now, Mr.. Presi-
dent; If the senator from Utah will par
don me Just moment
Mr.; Sutherland. Let me finish my
answer
Mr. Bacon. I beg the senator's par
don.
Mr.. Sutherland. I think congress
would have that power Mr. President,
but that does not brighten me- Con-
gress has possessed that power for near
ly 125 years, and 1t has never exercised
1t, In my judgment, In a way that was
not Justified by observation-disclosures which
existed at the time the particular laws
have been passed. We have passed laws
providing for the supervision OF cleo
lions, but they were passed at a..time
when ii was absolutely necessary that
they should be. and-4when the occasion
for them, had gone, those laws we're re-
pealed. - 49, ~ s. s3f ~
Mr. Bacon, Now Mr.. President. ]
Just. simply. without pndulys interrupt
ing the senator, with his permission
desire to. reply to a suggestion made
by him, that a law would not be- passed
even II the. power were; given. ! wish
simply to cali attention to the fact that
the particular Jaw referred to was pass
FED by the. house of representatives. that
II came to this. body, and that II a<-vote
at any time had been taken upon 1t, II
would have passed this body 1t was
only after a long debate, when. as, ]
have heard the former senator from
Massachusetts, Mr.. Hoar, state upon this
floor, after weeks or debate some few
of the majority became satisfied Of the
impolicy OF Sit that BY one vote IL was
tuermfttedg t&s!be ftaaerf from the consfd-
eBation OF the senate. IL never was de-
feated in the senate. 1890 S1'
But, Mr. President. / do not, as say
desire now to unduly interrupt the sen.
ator from Utah. but Ibid desire that the
author of this amendment should dis
tinctly state, in order that we might al
know the effect of this amendment II
adopted, that, in his opinion-and II
can not be doubted that his opinion Il
correct in that regard-it will authorize
the enactment of a law which will sta
ton at every poll in the United States
when a senator is to be elected an agent
Of the United States to supervise and
control that election. A.