The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-11-14
THE NATIONAL QUESTION.

such count IL made, whichever candidate hs
the plurality, even II 1t BE- but one vote,
will recognize as the President. The plu
rality 1t most il very small, and the questio
10 not one to be determined by any hurra
method, but By the vote, carefully and faith
fully canvassed aud correctly counted. Ger
tainly nothing fairer than this propositio
can be asked by any good citizen. Not onl
are the candidates personally and as the rep
resentatives Of great parties, entitled TO thi.
and TO the 6delity Of their National Com
mittees In insisting upon this legal an,
proper determination, but the very funda
mental principles OF our form Of govern
ment are at stake In the matter. It Is
course that would be properly pursued In an,
county In the Union where the vote wa
close, and 1t is As relatively important tina
II should be done In . National contest
Bonfires and professions, and spe echss, d.
not settle such matters: 1t is the cold, care
full, actual count and canvass of the votes
And when that 10 made, be It Blaine OF
Cleveland who Is elected, let every patriotic
citizen acquiesce In the result. We are fire.,
10 say We would regard 1t just As much q
National calamity and wrong II . Republican
should obtain an Office by fraud or violation
Of law - . Democrat, but We have no ap
prehsnsion that In this case, despite some
intemperate biathering, there will be any
such result. The election laws Of New York
are rs nearly perfect as any In the United
States, and the fair. honest result will be
reached and announced in very few days.
II IL epportune, however, TO say that each
succeeding Presidential contest emphasizes
two facts-thst our Presidential contests are
too frequent and that the electoral college
method under which the Chief Executive
Is now chosen, Is not such an one a. the
country should have. Tbs four-yea, term
subjects the country too frequently TO tho
strain and disturbance Of intense political
agitation, and In case Of close contests In
in portant States like the present, the pro-
traction Of feverish condition Of excite
ment throughout the land Is not wholesome
for the body polite. The theory on which
II Is based-that the selection of President
10 right reserved TO 1.-THE States--that 1t must
be done by the States ~ States--that he Is
President Of the United States and not essen
TALLY Of the people Of the United States, 10
not understood BY the people, and IL 1t were
would not be appreciated. There is an in
herent feeling that there Is something wrong
and foreign TO our system Of government In
the fact that citizen may be elected Presi-
dent without receiving the votes of major
ity or even plurality Of the voters Of the
United States, or that the question may be
legally thrown into Congress for determine
ton after the electors have met at the polls
TO decide. That 1t Is complex problem to
how the present method may be
most materially improved and Its dangers
and agltations avoided, all will admit; but
that some better system than the present
might be devised and would be approved by
The country IL Congress would address itself
seriously and carr estly to the matter, there
10 no doubt. It will be well II to these most
important questions, involving the National
those upon whom the duty de-
Volves shall early and earnestly give atten-
ion.
For the first time In twenty four years the
country ID, brought seriously TO think Of
possible change In the National sdministra-
lion. Until very recently We believe no one
very much doubted the continuance Of
Republican Executive for another four
years. That there was radical detection Of
Republicans IN New York was
appreciated, but It was believed that could
be endured and the State still carried, and
results have demonstrated the belief was
II Blaine 10 defeated It will te by
IN aggregation Of votes drawn from the Re-
publican party greater than even the indie
pendents could muster, the prohibition
ranks Of New York State alone, nine
,enths Of whom were Republicans, having
from Blaine ten or twenty times
he plurality claimed for Cleveland In New
York. We do not respect the action Of the
New York Independents. Their Delegates
Itaid In the Republican Convention after
Blaine was nominated and then went out,
proclaimed with pharisaical impotence that
hey were the nbrains" and conscience" Of
he country, and deliberately, maliciously
md vihdictively proceeded to cut Blaine's
hroat. May they reap their just reward.
And, II Cleveland Is elected, what will
,sve been accomplished by itp We think
be matter 10 greatly overestimated. 1t does
rot place the Democratic party Ia power ex.
.cpt In the dispensation OF few Offices, and
wen In that Cleveland only shares the
with the Senate. The Senate 10
ind will remain for two years at least safely
and the Democratic majority IN
he House 10 materially reduced. There can be
10 legislation or treaties In which the Senate
loes not concur, and no confirmation or sp>
continent 10 Office except BY its approval.
Governor Cleveland 10 not very great, or
experienced, or wise man, but he has been
'nough In public life - have learned that
he Senate Of the United States will have 70
V treated with respect for iis rights and
,reroeatives. he has also been supported
" tbs New York purists on the basis Of his
ecord q extremely conservative In the matt
Or Of civil service appointments. On the
,theT hand he will have made upon him :
Humorous demand for Offices an hundred |
old beyond what be can satisfy, and the
Democrats North and South who have stood |
olidly together % long - both were souts"
viii - certainly quarrel over the division Of
polls II they become the Sins" In view Of
hose facts ~ do not see any advantage 70 |
be Democracy q party even II Cleveland
) elected. Il 10 certainly not 10 its power 70 |
listurb legislation. The Senate will not |
encur in the removal Of present officers ex>
ept for cause until their terms expire, even |
T Cleveland shall stultify bis record By ai>
snpting Il, and the seeds Of party discord
viii eerminats In the dlsssnsions over pre-
erments. The rip roaring Democracy, II
hoy will Jolllfy, do we'll = joliify q the
utset.
s. fer y political effects in this Territory
~ concerned, The Republican party Of Mon
ana viii probably b sdvantagsd By having
Democratic President. The federal pat
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