New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-16

or ADMIRATION AND HE METHOD OF COUNT
ING BY TELIEEs.
lpY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIDUNEl
WASHINGTON, Jan. 15.-The Committees OF the
Senate and House IN Counting the Electoral vote
- in session between four and five hours to-day
They have nearly completed their work. 1t is gen.
araliv believed in Washington tonight that report
81 some kind will be presented in each house OF
CONGRESS during the day tomorrow. The prevailing
ornion is that bill will be presented to prescribe
,bo manner in which the electoral vote shall be
oo,nted. and to provide for the settlement of any
Hsnuted questions that may arse. While members
of the committee still refuse to converse upon the
spbicet there can be little doubt that the following
;s substantially an outline of the plan which will be
nresented if any is agreed upon:
First. That the duties of the Vice-Presdent shall
10 entirely ministerial. He shall simply open the
package containing the returns of the electoral
votes deliver them to tellers appointed by the two
bouses and announce the result as reported to HIM
by them.
Second: In case an objection is made to counting
the vote of any State from which a single return
has been received the houses shall separate and dis
euss the matter for reasonable time, when vote
shall be taken in EACH If both houses concur in the
opinon that the vote ought to he rejected. then 1t
shall be rejected Otherwise it shall be counted.
Third: In all cases where two sets Of returns have
heen received and the two houses do not to
eept one of them all questions connected with them
are 10 be referred to a commission constituted as
follows; Five members are to be appointed by the
Senate and five by the House of Representatives,
and five Judges of the Supreme Court are to be
selected in the following manner: Six are to be APP
nointed and the name of one is then to be
dropped by lot The decisions of this Board
of Arbitration are to be reported to both
houses and, unless objection is raised they
are TO be considered as final. If any objection TO
these decisions is urged by member OF either
house. then the two houses TO separate and vote
upon the question. If both houses agree to reject
the decision of the Board of Arbitration, then is to
he null and vOid but is to be binding unless the two
houses concur in disappearing.
The objection to deciding any question IN con-
necton with the electoral count by lot is answered
by the advocates of this plan. They say that many
ouestions are now settled by lot when no better or
fairer way can be advised For instance, two Scna-
tors recently appeared from Colorado; one was to
serve for the long term and one for the short term
but the Legislature of the State had made no dis
1incton between them; the Senate directed that
they should draw lots for the long term
So. in the House. the desks are distributed
by lot no farer method has ever been devised
Those who favor this plan say that they do not con-
slider that the dropping of of the judges OF the
Supremc Court from the board by lot in any sense
decision Of any question arising out OF the electoral
count in that way. They believe that the members
OF the board of arbitration selected by each house
will be men of the very highest character III both
bodies and that with the Judges of the Supreme
Court they will not act partsans. but in accord
ance with the oath which they will be obliged to
take to decide all questions in accordance with law
and the evidence. In addition to this the Repubi-
cans will have an advantage, If there is any, i'll the
selection of judges of the Supreme Court to serve
on this Board of Arbitration. In any event there
must be three Republican judges and there may be
four If the judge whose name Is dropped should
happen to be one whose sympathies are supposed to
be with the Democratic party.
The interest in the proceedings Of the Joint Com
mltee is greater to-day than at any previous time
since they met. Members of both parties express
the opinion that if these committees do not agree it
will be a hopeless task to undertake to harmonic
the two houses of Congress to secure the adoption
by both of any given plan of counting the vote.
While the members of each party, if this plan should
be adopted, would be obliged to yield in some i'm
portant respects there is general feeling in Wash
ington tonight that plan something similar to
that described above would produce results that
would be satisfactory to the on both sides who
simply desire fair and impartial decision of the qucs
tons that have arisen.