Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1885-02-13
Counting the Electoral Vote.

The conference committees OF the two Houses
on the bills 10 regulate the counting OF The cleo
tora' vote are in hopeless dad iock and have
voted 10 disagree. Mr.. Eaton Of Connection.
in reporting that fact TO the House will ask
that his bill be insisted upon and Mr. Hoar OF
the Senate com niirre will ask that boiy 10 stan
by his bill. The Eaton hill his no supporter.
IN the Senate but the Hoar bill has strong ad.
vocate. among leading Democrats Of the House.
and the chances are that the latter bill will be
adopted by the House Representatives Broad
head and Herbert, two OF the best lawyers in
the House, will champion the Iloar bill. and are
likely TO carry it over Mr.. Eaton's head There
is little difference between The two bills in tn =
general provisions relating to the count Both
provide that the Houses shall meet in joi mt Coz
venton 10 the hall Of Representatives, and tina
the President of the Senate shall preside. The
vital difference is in The sections regarding ac-
ton upon disputed returns. The Hoar hill pro.
|ides that If there are differing return. from a
State, the ITO Houses shall vote separately as
to which vote shall be counted and if the tw o
Houses tail to agree, the vote Of the State shall
he thrown out. This is the provision to which
Mr.. Eaton very strongly Objects. He SAYS tina,
In the case OF Connecticut, for instance the out
going State officers nigh send IN one set OF re-
turns and the incoming officers might certify to
another set. Then, IN II situation like that no "
existing with the Senate Republican and the
House Democratic, the vote OF the State wosld
almost inevitably he thrown out. Mr. Eaton
says that on a close vote like that of New York
this year there would be a strong temptation to
raise bubble in order to have the vote of tho
State thrown out. Mr. Eatons bill provide.
that the Houses shall vote in joint conventlo !
on the disputed returns, each Senator and Re
preventative to have one vote and that vote
shall be counted which 4 ma jority of the con-
ventIon shall determine to be the legal return
Mr.. Eaton insists that rs the constitution vests
the House with authority to elect a Presid-p,
when there IS no popular election it is clearly
the intent that the House should have the pre
poaderaing influence. Under the Hoar bill.
he says, the Senate could actually annul the re-
suit Of pepalar election. The Senators are
unanimous against the Eaton bill because they
think 1t does not give enough weight and dig
nifty to the Senate. Thee contend that the SEN
ate has coordinate power, with The House, and
its Identity should not be merged with the
House to the extent that Mr. Eaton proposes.
Many members of the House seemed disposed to
accept the lloar bill rs the best they can get at
present, with the hope of amending it hereafter
should the Democrats get control of the Senate
two years hence. Mr.. Eaton, when in the SEN
ats himself, held the same views regarding the
rights OF the Honse that he now holds His
speech on the Hay es Electoral Commission bill
Was the most weighty contribution to the dis
cussIon OF that measure and his views on the
present controversy, if he has opportunity to
make speech, will have great weight with bis
fellow Democrats.