Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-01-05
Electoral Count Reform.

A CONGRESSIONAL DEADLOCK ON THE PENDING R1rIs
Members OF Congress Of both houses and OF both
parties concede the great Importance OF legislation
to regulate the counting OF electoral votes but
there is practically deadlock on the subject.
which bids lair to prevent the passage OF any such
act. AT the last session OF Congress the Senate
passed bill, which was reported from the COM
mittee On elections, to regulate the counting of
electoral votes. In the House 1t was promptly re-
ferred TO the committee having charge OF that sub
]ect, OF which MIR: Eaton is chairman. That COM
mittee reported back as substitute bill which
had been introduced by Mr. Eaton, and the House
passed 1t. AS the Senate stood by its BILL the sub
Ject went to conference committee, consisting OF
senators HOar, Sherman and Pugh, and RepreSen-
tatives Eaton, Bennett and Hart. The Senate and
House bills have become generally known by the
name OF their respective authors Messrs Hoar and
Eaton. The conference committee has held sew
eral meetings, but no agreement has been reached.
The chief point OF difference In the bills and that
determination OF contrOverted questions arising
over electoral returns
HOW TIE TWO BILLS DIFFER
There is no material difference between the two
bills in these provisions relating to Joint meeting
OF the two houses OF Congress TO count the electoral
hall OF the House. the president Of the Senate to
preside tellers to be appointed, etc The oar bill
requires that II there be more than one return. or
'paper purporting TO be return" from a state is
presented that return only shall be counted which
the two houses, acting separately, shall concur
rently decide to be the lawful return. Or In case
Der of each house. is presented to the vote of a
state. that return can only be rejected by the
affirmative vote OF both houses In each of these
cases the Hoar bill requires that the Senate shall
retire to its chamber, and the question in con-
trOversy shall be submitted to each house
separately. The Eaton bill provides that in the
case or more than one return from state, or OF
objection being made to return, the question
Shall be submitted to the joint convention, and
that vote per capita shall be taken, s'and those
votes shall be counted and added to the list OF
votes already ascertained which majority OF the
joint convention shall determine to have been con-
ta1ned in the proper and legal return"
ANTAGoN1sTIC POSITIONS OF THE TWO HOUSES.
The Senate objects that the Eaton bill does not
give to that body its due weight OF authority in
deciding controverted questions; that the Senate
is coordinate with the House. and should have the
right, as a whole, to pass upon such questions.
Representative Eaton insists that the HOar bill
gives the Senate too much power He says that
under that bill the Senate could really annul the
result Of an election by the people. He contends
that, as the Constitution vests the House with
authority to elect President In the event OF fail
ure OF popular election 1t clearly intent OF that
instrument that the House should have the pre-
pOnderating influence. There is also some feeling
OF partiSanship In the question. Democrats gen.
tOral contests with the House, while republicans
would rather trust to the Senate MI Eaton said
to STAR reporter that he had very little hope OF
any agreement by the cOnferees, and he declared
very emphatlcally that he would not assent to the
Hoar bill because he regarded 1t as wrong in prin-
among members OF Congress making. an effort to
get q compromise upon q bill that would be
acceptable. member OF Congress told q STAR re-
porter that senator Sherman was opposed to both
the Hoaf and Eaton bills and favored some measure
that would be sort OF fair medium between the
two