The Weekly Pelican

THE SHERMAN BILL

The Republicans everywhere will be delighted with the President's clear endorsement of the principles of the Sherman bill. There is no doubt the time has come for the adoption of the measure, and time will serve to strengthen the wish for it. The President says:

The freedom of the ballot is a condition of our national life, and no power vested in Congress or the Executive to secure or perpetuate it should remain unused upon occasion.

The Constitution contains two distinct grants of power, either of which is sufficient authority not only to revise the State election laws, but to see to their proper administration. The United States shall guarantee to every State a Republican form of government. That government is not Republican in form or in substance which is too weak or too wicked to secure political control to the majority in numbers of its people.

A law which is not enforced practically does not exist, and a State in which the result of elections is determined according to the prejudices and interests of those who control the election machinery has an oligarchical form of government, which it is the duty of Congress to set aside and erect a new one in consonance with the letter and spirit of the Constitution.

Again: The fourteenth and fifteenth amendments to the Constitution take up the subject of suffrage and citizenship and confer upon Congress the power to enforce their provisions by appropriate legislation. There are other provisions relative to the choosing of Representatives and Senators and Presidential electors which give Congress discretionary power over the subject matter of elections. It will be necessary, nay, it is already so, for Congress to exercise this long neglected power. Senator Sherman has carefully considered the question and prepared a partial remedy for the evils complained of in a well drawn bill providing for holding elections for Representatives and Electors under the immediate direction of officials appointed by national authority. The first effect of this wise measure will be to remove the temptation to cheat, and this will finally break up the habit. For even the most benighted balldozer will not practice rascality unless he is paid for his services, and if the prize be withheld from candidates declared elected by such means, they will have nothing with which to pay.