, 1870-03-28

J conu ~ improbable AZ it would BE- uunecAB
sa!- How THIS can b effected IL tho question
OF tho fraudulent ballot be restricted within
the nsr1oweet posaihle linites
), II We existing system accompllshoa result
tie ,c,srre OF that desired; il ihc end in view
Nonl'l not BE- attained By abandoning the ind.
Tectne:s Of the rresent system aud rceordng
| 70 an election by tho direct plurality roto-then
there III but aing,e other alternative. and We
a1e hsonGht directly to the electoral system
conducted by districts. This method OF a17iv-
ms al the result cannot be better described
than in tie article from TnE CHICAGO TaInuSE.
already referred to:
The whole people Of each State will yoto
directly for President and Vice President, and
Whoever receives lle majority of tho popular
vote Of tue State will hsru the two electoral
sotes which new correspond toits two Senators;
t11ct, - such, will vote directly for Presi-
dent anil Vice President, and candidate re-
ctiving ! majority OF tie votes Of the dis.rirt
will have the electoral vote which cor7eponds
TO tho District Representative in Congress.
li!is = siniLly change from stste electoral
ticket to District electoral ticket. Like the
plan ~ ail election BY general direct vote,
II Won'd not lessen the influence Of the great
parry conventona over the nominations Tbs
People would at1l vote mainly in the two g1eat
lnaanxes, Representing tho progressive and
tions oi Euo,ic policy. l. would lessen ve7
greatly The present possibility that tho result
night not agree With the ponulsT vote. Hut
above all, it would cpntine The effect of fraud
sle1t voting in any oEe district to three cleo
to1al votes, viz, the two cast by the State at
large and the ONO cast BIZ the district in wl,icl,
the fraud arose. Thu o7,Coo fraudulent votes
cast IN the CITY Of New York at the laat elec-
tinn could only sfYoct about eight electoral
votes in all. instead Of thiry-tLree, and practi-
cally would not have been resorted to 10 secure
these, AZ they were safe to tho Dem
oc1as!c party Without, fraud It is ouly
power thAt any considerable degrees Of
fraudulent voting can be done, A strong op-
position will always prevent it. In such dis
tr7et] there would he 20 contest, and no temp
tefact other ma5orities belonging to outside
districts. Hence, under the p}1n last pro-
Is'-ed, not only would tbs inducemeut to fraud
almost wholly disappear, but the violent ran
cor And heat OF politics IN those districts which
arc n.q;m ~ one !, Wy ] would disappear slso.'
factory solution Of tho difficulty. II will con-
tine the elects Of fraud within the nar1oxeet
Possible Enlita, And, practically, render il uu-
assihng. Neither il It novelty in our system,
hs i was rractieed in many States during the
earlier Presidential elections. md wxs cor,tin-
ued in Maryland down 10 tic year 1883, It
recognizes also the compromises OF ths cunsti-
tuition, and, by securing to the smaller !tates
their tw" Senatorial votes, obviates the danger
of their oprlrlng the reform
How eau the proposed change be cHected7
The clause of tho constitution which coufesa
tie regulation, Of the subject on the Legisla-
tnreh VI the several Statos ctTcctualIy stands it,
tho way of all Congressional action Of islal
nhturc. Il IL futile to hope for auy reform
1rtm lie action Of individual States, for it
Would Las Qui1otic for any one or more States
VI tho tuitn to divide their own influence in
Presidential elections no long ns neighboring
states mEist OIL preserving theirs intact The
unly remedy, therefore, lies in uniform atlop-
ton Of the system for all the States alike
through The -low process Of amending the Fed
cral Constitution. This instrument has been
manipulated IL 81 nlany RESPECTS of late that
there IL now strong all rapidly-groNing dis
posltlon 10 icsvc it alone for the present. This
il an additional obstacle which must be over
come: Az usual, in al leases which touch
merely on the general good which no ma
te1ial interest IL cOlcel1el-it il most difficult
to bring party organizations to bear upon the
"o1k. We're this not 20, the existing method
Of choosing tie Electoral Collegea would long
ago have been swept away, for neither this Dis
cuheiun l.uF the measure of reform suggested
ila.s anything in il OF novelty. Hamilton early
directed hir attention to it. President jaeE.
non, in hi1 consecutive messages, discussed
tie su.ject, and recommended the election of
Preside. ts by direct popular vote. Alr. Uer-
ton kel t tEe matter almost continually before
i, ~. ,a;3a. h.s UNITY seals OF sefvlce
,,ors W.T. c,,.s..". D' 1otneou' oen,
yar;ous .;,rn,I,cr. af W. ,iona" ',.-a ,.it. ah
equal tml ll.asls condemned tho e1istin. sv4-
TEN. u1ing the year just passed, an amend
iacnt hohsns 70 it, reform was introduced into
md tinn-wcnt 10 4, tnn, raat w. t,,S.s'
ever. ihc matter il nrerseti mon III, ,}eo oS ~.
irntion from new eonsilsras;ons. ~ IL M NO
longer, ~ in The day. OF Jackson. . mere ques-
importance. Tie 1rese,,t sTstsn, hss ,.,.a taa,as
btI:, rctln,ct1 If, Tho eirht of Iii mon ~ Nv.
cjlincry for the encouragement md dnr.3o1.
ment Of tho most lsuQarous nf iii forms r.
political fraud. Those who have investigated
ihc subject have arrived At tho same nraetiesi
the columns OF TIE CHICAGO TnInt;Sr. II cnn
he found reduced to the form Of a conattr-
iional amendment in the report OF III. LAW.
renee, of Ohio, to tie Last House OF Heptesen-
tAtives.
This Las. then. been . .commenn1,ca ~ l;+o-
less discnssion almost from t;roa 9nnanoII I,
What Gail be done 10 mskc il = subject for ~.
tiun1-to forward its adoption: Politicians.
caucuscs, aud conventions cannot be relied on
in this matter. This measure seeks to romoyo.
not TO create, fountain Of corruption. II
eainee WIN u no poht,cA! interest; no claim on
patronage, no sl'o1!s OF victory, 1t is simply a
measure suggested by common sense md CON-
mon honesty Tor the common gotN. II u in
inc interest Of al: and not OF faction.
INC students OF soclA science seeks ever to
prevent rtl@e, not Y repression, but by re-
Will seek 10 protect tue ballot by removing, in
70 fsr Is Ee c1n, MI inducement to commit
frauds through the ballot He will not pass
laws to fnnish fraudulent voting II he can
prevent fraudulent voting By rendering it use
!ess. II there. ia. then. any public teld in
which the !abors of this association
can he made ureful, i there Is any
rosis1cas tnuct,on It can fulfil, i Is IN putting
III slonidc1 to the wheel III aid Of work Of
reform The tins, = necessary asst is thankless-
stme'sH'! must do It. A machinery in tie
state, apart from AL party organizations, a1oof