Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-10-25
PRESIDENTIAL. ELECTIONS
STNCI 1000

Since 1920, when Monroe was chosen for a
second term, with but one opposition electoral
vote, the presidential elections have been less
decisive than is generally supposed. That is to
say tho popular majority for the successful candi
date has never been excessive; and often he has
actually wanted a majority, and had only a
plurality. This was the case, for example, in
1874. when the votes cast for Clay, and those
thrown away on Birncy, exceeded in the aggre-
gate, those polled for Polk, making the later ac-
tually q minority President.
To 80 back to 1924. In that year. four can
didates were in the field, jackson, Adams. Craw-
ford and Clay. The first received 80 electoral
votes, the second "a, the third Al and fourth 81.
The election under these circumstances devolv-
ing on the House, Adams received the vote Of o
states, jackson of z, and Crawford of L.
In 1925, jackson was chosen by the popular
voice, obtaining IT'S electoral votes ont OF the
2G1 which then constituted the electoral college.
In 1872 jackson was again chosen by the popular
voice, and this time by an even greater majority,
receiving ITO electoral votes more than his on
ponent, Henry Clay.
This brings us up to 1896, or twenty years a.
go. In that year Van Buren,, though elected
President, beat Harrison in the popular vote on
~ about 1900, though he had 10 electoral
votes out of $50. Four years nfterward, Harri-
son seemed, at first sight, to have had three
times as many supporters as Van Buren,, for he
obtained 234 electoral votes, while his antago-
HlSL nau OUT Ous yet lie only beat tile latter in
2, 1000 Another curious feature of the cleo
ton of 1910 was that the popular vote exceeded
by nearly two-thirds that cast in 1886. Van
Buren,, for instance, distanced as he was, recei-
we'd 1854, 900 votes in 1910 more than he did four
years before.
In 1874, as we have said already, Polk was
actually minority President, and vet he beat
Clay by larger popular majority than Harrison
had beaten Van Buren,; the vote being for Polk
,536, 196-for Clay 1,297,212. The electoral
college stood, however, 40 for Polk to los for
Clay. In 1s4s Taylor received 1853 electoral
votes and CasS 1877. The great state of New
York IN this election decided the contest, by 90
ing for Taylor, in consequence OF the democracy
being divided; and thus Taylor was also mi
nority President.
When we compare these elections with those
prior to 1920, we see how much more closely
contested they have been. In 1904, for instance.
Jefferson had 1852 electoral votes, and Pinckney,
his opponent, IA only. In 1903, Madison had
122 and Pinckney AZ In 1912, Monroe had
ls3 and King 81. In 1920, as we have already
mentioned, Monroe had 231, only single cleo
teral vote being castin opposition.
These statistics show how nearly equally diyi-
ded the people in the United States are on car
dinal questions and federal policy. Under such
circumstances, moderation in the victors is
clearly sound policy. Where two parties ap-
proach SO closely to each other in numbers, tits
folly for either to urge extreme measures and
| talk OF using force TO compel the minority to
submission. 1t was not in such spirit that the
Union was formed nor can it in such spirit be
maintaincd-PhiLa. Ledger.