224 



CONGRESS. (THE FEDERAL ELECTION LAWS NEW STATES.) 



McLaurin, Martin, Mills, Mitchell of Oregon. Morgan, 

 Pasco, Fetter. Perkins, Pettigrew, Power, Pugh,Qufty, 

 Ransom, Roach, Shoup, Stewart, Teller, Turpie, Vest, 

 Voorhees, White, Wolcott 44. 



ffAYS Aldrich, Allison, Briee, Cattery, Carey, 

 Chandler, Cullom, Davis. l><>lph, Frye, Gallinger, 

 (Jibsmi, (Jorman, Hale, Ilawley, HigginS, Lodirc, 

 McMillan, McPherson, Manclerson. Mitchell of Wis- 

 consin, Morrill. Mun>hy, Palmer, Platt, Proctor, 

 Smith, Stockbridire. Vilas, Washburn, Wilson 31. 



NOT VOTING Camden. Cameron, Dixon, Gray, 

 Hill, Hoar, Jones of Nevada, Sherman, Squire, Vance 

 10. 



On March 30 a veto message was received 

 from the President, the significant portions of 

 which are contained in the following passages: 



The financial disturbance which swept over the 

 country during the last year was unparalleled in its 

 severity and disastrous consequences. There seemed 

 to be almost an entire displacement of faith in our 

 financial ability and a loss of confidence in our fiscal 

 policy. Among those who attempted to assign causes 

 for our distress it was very generally conceded that 

 the operation of a provision of law then in force 

 which required the Government to purchase monthly 

 a large amount of silver bullion and issue its notes in 

 payment therefor, was either entirely or to a large 

 extent responsible for our condition. This led to the 

 repeal, on the 1st day of November, 181)3, of this 

 statutory provision. 



We had, however, fallen so low in the depths of 

 depression, and timidity and apprehension had so 

 completely gained control in financial circles, that 

 our rapid recuperation could not be reasonably 

 expected. Our recovery has nevertheless steadily 

 progressed, and though 'less than five months have 

 elapsed since the repeal of the mischievous silver- 

 purchase requirement, a wholesome improvement is 

 unmistakably apparent. Confidence in our absolute 

 solvency is to such an extent reinstated and faith in 

 pur disposition to adhere to sound financial methods 

 is so far restored as to produce the most encouraging 

 results both at home and abroad. The wheels ot do- 

 mestic industry have been slowly set in motion, and 

 the tide of foreign investment has again started in 

 our direction. 



Our recovery being so well under way, nothing 

 should be done to cheek our convalescence; nor 

 should we forget that a relapse at this time would 

 almost surely reduce us to a lower stage of financial 

 distress than that from which we are just emerging. 



1 believe that if the bill under consideration should 

 become a law, it would be regarded as a retrogression 

 from the financial intentions indicated by our recent 

 repeal of ihe provision forcing silver-bullion pur- 

 chases; that it would weaken, if it did not destroy, 

 returning faith and confidence in our sound financial 

 tendencies, and that as a consequence our progress to 

 renewed business health would be untortunately 

 checked and a return to our recent distressing plight 

 .MTiously threatened. 



Considering the present intrinsic relation between 

 gold and silver, the maintenance of the parity be- 

 tween the two metals, as mentioned in this law, can 

 menu nothing less than the maintenance of sucli a 

 purity in the estimation and confidence of the people 

 who use our money in their daily transactions. Mani- 

 festly the maintenance of this parity can only be ac- 

 complished, so far as it is affected by these Treasury 

 notes, and in the, estimation of the holders of the 

 same, by giving to such holders, on their redemption, 

 the coin, whether it is gold or silver, which they pre- 

 fer. It follows that while in terms the law leaves the 

 choice of coin to be paid on such redemption to the 

 discretion of the Secretary of the Treasury, the exer- 

 cise of this discretion, if opposed to the demands of 

 the holder, is entirely inconsistent with the elleetive 

 and beneficial maintenance of the parity between the 

 two metals. 



The Secretary of the Treasury lias therefore, for 

 the best of reasons, not only promptly complied with 

 every demand for the redemption of these Treasury 

 notes in gold; but the present situation, as well as tlfc 

 letter and spirit of the law, appear plainly to justify, 

 if they do not enjoin upon him, a continuation of such 

 redemption. 



The entire bill is most unfortunately constructed. 

 Nearly every sentence presents uncertainty and in- 

 vites controversy as to its meaning and intent. 



On April 4 the House of Representatives, by 

 a vote of 144 yeas to 114 nays, failed to pass the 

 bill over the President's veto, the necessary two 

 thirds not voting to override the veto. 



The Federal Election Laws. At the special 

 session of Congress the House of Representatives, 

 after a full discussion, passed, Oct. 10, 1893, a 

 bill repealing all provisions of the Revised Stat- 

 utes creating a system of Federal supervision of 

 Federal elections originally adopted with a view 

 to protecting the negro voters in the recon- 

 structed States, but applicable in all the States. 

 Federal supervision of Federal elections had 

 been for years an object of Democratic protest, 

 and the repeal was one of the few settled points 

 in the party policy. It was carried by a vote of 

 201 yeas to 102 nays, 50 members not voting. 



The text of the measure is as follows : 



Be it enacted, etc., That the following sections and 

 parts of sections of the Ke vised Statutes of the 

 United States be, arid the same are hereby, re- 

 pealed; that is to say, of title "Elective Franchise," 

 sections '2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, L><>11, 

 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2010, 2017, 2018, < 2019, 2020, 

 relating to the appointment, qualification, power, 

 duties, and compensation of supervisors of elec- 

 tions; and also sections 2021, 2022, 2028, -J024, 2o25, 

 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030, 2031 of same title, re- 

 lating to the appointment, qualification, power, du- 

 ties, and compensation of special deputies; and also 

 of title " Crimes," sections 5506, 5511, 5512, 5513, 5514, 

 5515, 5520, 5521, 5522, 5523; "but the repeal of the 

 sections hereinbefore mentioned shall not operate so 

 as to atfect any prosecutions now pending, if any, for 

 a violation of "any of the provisions of said sections"; 

 and also part of section 64-".. as follows : 



" Or is commenced against any officer of the Unit- 

 ed States or other person on account of any act done 

 under the provisions of Title XXVI, 'The elective 

 franchise,' or on account of any right, title, or author- 

 ity claimed by any officer or other person under any 

 of' said provisions." 



SKC. 2. That all other statutes and parts of statutes 

 relating in any manner to supervisors of election and 

 special deputy marshals be, and the same are hereby, 

 repealed. 



SEC. 3. That this act shall take effect from and 

 after its passage. 



At the regular session, the measure was re- 

 ferred to the appropriate committee in the Sen- 

 ate, reported, debated, and finally passed, Feb. 

 7, 1894, by a vote of 39 yeas to 28 nays, 17 Sen- 

 ators not voting. Next to the Tariff act, this 

 was regarded as the most important subject on 

 which Congress took action. The President ap- 

 proved the measure, Feb. 12. 



New States. A bill for the admission of 

 Utah as a State passed the House of Represent- 

 atives, Dec. 13, 1893. The committee reporting 

 it said that the Territory had more than 200.00' ) 

 inhabitants : that a good common-school sys- 

 tem is established; that various Christian de- 

 nominations have seminaries of learning; that 

 the population is thrifty, law-abiding, intelligent, 



