The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1888-11-30
THE NEW NORTHWEST: DEER LODGE MONTAN4
PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES

PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGEi
Democratic papers and those of the indie
pendens type, whose influence is almost
invariably thrown in favor of Democracy
are now generally advocating the extension
Of the Presidential term to six years OF
more and Limitation to one term. A mum.
Der Of them also advocate the abolition o.
the Electoral College with the system Of
choosing Electors by States, aud substitut'
ing therefor . direct vote by the people fol
President. The business DEPRESSION! the
vast amount Of time and money consumed
by the people during Presidential cam.
paigns, and the tension on governmental
stability, are cited - strong reasons for less
frequent Presidential elections, while the
subordlnation of the public service and pub
lie interests to the ambitions of . Presiden-
tial candidate to succeed himself, of which
We have had = vivid exempli6cation by
President Cleveland, are considerations OF
some moment bearing on the question Of
eligibility to reelection. The desire for q
second term seems to grow jrresistibly on
many Presidents-Jackson, and We believe,
Lincoln, Is we'll - Cleveland, being among
those who had declared against being 4 can
didate for . second term, and yet subse-
quently aspiring thereto. Whether for an
endorsement of their policy, O. love of the
place, or desire to carry through measures
in progress, is immaterial-it seems to be =
prevailing desire and one that can only be
suppressed by An amendment to the consti.
tuition limiting incumbency to one term, and
extending the duration of that term If so
desired. As . sequence of this the terms of
al appointees Of the President would nat
urally be extended to six years, and the
question arises if we would mol be drifting
away from the Fundamental idea of govern.
ment by the people and a frequent judgment
by them upon the acts of those they have
directly and indirectly placed in power, to.
ward life tenures and i~rresponsibility to the
really sovereign power which is in the peo-
pie, and to whom their servants should
account. Six years is too long for bad ad-
ministration: four years of good admins
tration may we'll be endorsed and extended.
But the days Of accounting should not be too
far separated. It is true there is extreme
tension during Presidential canvass, but
Mr.. Depew's allegation that business was
materially interrupted this season is dis
proven by Bradstreet & Co., whose CONNER
cial information is superior to his. If there
had not been . Presidential election for two
years more, there is q fair probability the
Mills bill would have passed within that
time, and that the Territories, because they
are Republican, would have been excluded
beyond that time. Frequent elections have
their evils; but are they IS great as lurk in
long terms? They cost vast sums, but it
merely changes hands-is generally handed
down by these who have plenty 10 be dis
tributed, and distributed honestly, in edu.
eating the people through publications and
orators, using up "tin plates" for torches,
and various other industries too numerous
to mention. 1t may be the six-year-one-
term idea will prevail; but the argument is
not all on that side by any means.
81
AS to the question of Presidential election
by popular vote, there are equally potent
objections. While this is q government "of
the people, BY the people. and for the peo-
pie" it mus: be remembered that this is =
Union Of States that by the tenth amend
ment to the constitution "the powers not
delegated to the United States by the con-
stitutlon, nor prohibited by IL to the States,
are reserved to the States respectively, Or to
the peoples" that the President is "President
of the United States,' and that one Of the
powers vested in the several States is to ap-
point electors, who, as representatives Of the
State, vote for President and Vice President.
To elect direct by the popular vote Of the
entire country would be subversion Of the
intent Of the constitution, which is to elect
him by States as Presi lent Of the United
States, and departure from which would de-
stroy the theory upon which the government
is established. 1t has so fallen, on more
than one occasion, that the President elected
by the States did not have q majority of the
popular vote of the United States, but to
elect him by popular vote he might be Presi.
dent Of the people, but not of the United
States. .".".
Aside from this, it is an established fact
that in the South there are many places
where the minority by Intimidation or fear, |
or by the hopelessness Of their minority,
dare not or do not vote. While the condi,
ton Of intimidation exists, and where from !
the expression and facts relative to the par !
ticipation of colored men in political affairs, |
1t will yet exist for many years, and where
the Democratic majorities are thereby |
almost solid, it is simply preposterous to |
claim that the established and constitutional
method should be broken down and the !
President be elected by popular vote.