op results.

The use of the telegraph by the Post-Office Department as a means for
the rapid transmission of written communications is, I believe, upon
proper terms, quite desirable. The Government does not own or operate
the railroads, and it should not, I think, own or operate the telegraph
lines. It does, however, seem to be quite practicable for the Government
to contract with the telegraph companies, as it does with railroad
companies, to carry at specified rates such communications as the
senders may designate for this method of transmission. I recommend that
such legislation be enacted as will enable the Post-Office Department
fairly to test by experiment the advantages of such a use of the
telegraph.

If any intelligent, and loyal company of American citizens were required
to catalogue the essential human conditions of national life, I do not
doubt that with absolute unanimity they would begin with "free and
honest elections." And it is gratifying to know that generally there is
a growing and nonpartisan demand for better election laws; but against
this sign of hope and progress must be set the depressing and undeniable
fact that election laws and methods are sometimes cunningly contrived to
secure minority control, while violence completes the shortcomings of
fraud.

In my last annual message I suggested that the development of the
existing law providing a Federal supervision of Congressional elections
offered an effective method of reforming these abuses.[15] The need
of such a law has manifested itself in many parts of the country, and
its wholesome restraints and penalties will be useful in all. The
constitutionality of such legislation has been affirmed by the Supreme
Court. Its probable effectiveness is evidenced by the character of the
opposition that is made to it. It has been denounced as if it were a
new exercise of Federal power and an invasion of the rights of States.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Congress has already fixed the
time for the election of members of Congress. It has declared that votes
for members of Congress must be by written or printed ballot; it has
provided for the appointment by the circuit courts in certain cases,
and upon the petition of a certain number of citizens, of election
supervisors, and made it their duty to supervise the registration of
voters conducted by the State officers; to challenge persons offering to
register; to personally inspect and scrutinize