The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1877-01-20
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.

Fh6olOhN11AL6 LkC11ONS.
The Constitution Of the United States
was adopted in l7S7-ninety years ago
since which time the number of States has
increased from thirteen to thirty-eight,
and the population from about four mil
lions to forty six millions. Our govern
ment, though 50 recently established, has
witnessed many changes, which may be
illustrated by the change in the mode Of
traveling-from the stage coach to the
railroad and the Pullman hotel car-and
by the change from Ben Franklin's old
hand press to the Bullock perfection press,
which prints on both sides fourteen miles
Of newspapers per hour.
There has been little change in the ma
chinery Of government, but the closeness
Of the late Presidential contest, and the
uncertainty as to the result, has called at
tel ton to our Federal Constitution, and
many minds are turned to its study with a
view To adapting it more perfectly to the
present state and extent Of the country
ana its increased and widely ditfused pop
ulauoD.
There Is an apparent want of complete
ness IN the constitution in its provisions
regarding the counting Of the votes IL
for President and Vice President, ana de-
cisIons rs to what votes may be received
when tHo sets Of returns come up from
single State, as Is now true III several
cases. Il IS felt by many that our Presi-
Dental elections occur too often that
these frequent heated and expensive can
vases ale not desirable. In this view We
are not disposed to coincide, for We be
heve that Presidential campaigns are es-
senual both 70 the political education of
the people, but also as a means Of period
really aruusing their attention to the fact
that they have duties to perform as citi-
zeus, and ought ID realize that every voter
is part 81 the government, and should
perform his proper functions as such.
Hon. c. r. Buckalew, Of Pennsy lvania,
formerly l. :. Senator BIAS proposed
plan Of electing President and Vice Presi
dent, which would seem to be great im-
provement Oh the old plan. 1t is this
I've usetMr. Buckalews own words) "That
n each State candidates for the Presidential
aad Tice Presidents offices shall BE- roted tor
d,rect'y by The people, and shall receipe
electoral cotes "a proportion TO their popular
c0te."
Ia other words, returning electoral
rotcs to each State as nov allowed by the
Constitution, but dispensing with electoral
colleges, the people shall themselves bestow
the electoral votes Of the State in Just pro
portion upon the candidates of their
choice, as 1t gives minorities a voice in
the election Of President as compared to
the number Of votes polled by the other
parties.
If a State Is entitled to ten electoral
votes, and one-tenth Of the voters vote
say for Peter Cooper, one electoral vote is
counted for Peter Cooper, though the
other candidates may have the other nine
electoral votes, and have nine electoral
votes counted for them. Illinois has II
electoral otes as Hayes received more in
dividual votes IN Illinois than any other
all the u electoral votes are
for Hayes, none for Cooper, and
none for Tllden.
Under Mr.. Buckalew's plan, though the
present electors are dispensed with the APP
pointment Of electoral votes remains as
nov, and the Gov ernor and other authoriz
ed State officers count the votes cast in
the State, and divide and return to Wash
lngton for each candidate his proportion Of
the electoral votes. To illustrate further,
Illinois being entitled to Fl electoral votes
and there being 21O, 600 votes cast at the
election for all the candidates in the follow
ing numbers
Cooper, 10000 votes;
Hayes, 100 900 votes;
Tllden, loo, 900 v.tes.
The Illinois returns when opened at Wash
ington would show
Cooper, l electoral vote;
Tllden, 10 electoral votes;
Hayes, 10 electoral votes;
making q electoral votes; the number to
which Illinois is entitled.
1t would perhaps be simpler and better
TO let the people vote direct for President. |
and have the votes cast by the people can
vassed at Washington without the inter |
vention Of electoral votes, but this would |
require amendments to the Constitution.
to which the smaller States would not be
lIkelyitO assent as it would reduce material |
ly their power and influence in Presideu-
tial Elections, and as there is no probable |
lty that the requisite number of States
would vote for such a change in the Con- |
stItution, Senator Buckale~ plan is proba-
bly, as good a. anything that has been or |
is likely to be proposed We believe that
It is right in principle allowing the voice of
the minority as well as the majority to be-
heard while in the final count of the cleo
torial vote at Washington the majority
will rule. In all elections the majority
should rule, but the minority should be
heard, and until this principle is fully re-
and applied in our system of
government from the U. S. government to
The town, Representative government will
De incomplete. All voting should be a