The Press., 1888-09-27
Issued Every Thursday Evening.

congress investigate the state returns, but this step proved to be as unwise, as it is unconstitutional, ,and should not be adopted as precedent.
 Many have urged that the power to set tie the conflicting electoral disputes, which may arise in the states, should be exer- cised by the federal supreme court, but there is also a we'll grounded objection to such intervention. In contests which in- volve the political success of our parties, it would be difficult, even for the highest court in the land to render judgments that would be entirely uncolored by partisan ship. The decision of the court might be distasteful to majority of the voters, as was said to be the finding of the electoral commission in 1876, and, in such an event, the judgment of the court would surely be reversed in a succeeding election, and 80 the prestige of our highest tribunal would eventually fall into contempt. Neither would satisfaction be given by federal courts, especially created to take cognizance of such cases. What, then, is the remedy ? It is plainly evident that the framers of the constitution entertained no thought of the interference, in any way, of the federal authority in elections, excepting, of course, the elections of members of the national house of representatives.
 4uo SObLl0u6uL OI 6l6CblOu QlIHCulUl6S belongs properly to the states, and the in- depreciation of the law in such cases, should be the duty of the state courts, subject to review only by the highest federal court on questions of constitutionality.
 The electoral college in the different states should not meet for several weeks later than they now meet, so that, in the event of election contests, time might be given for the state courts to operate and reach a decision before the electoral vote is finally
 taken. All matters of doubt, arising in congress during the count of the vote of 8 state, should be promptly referred to the courts of such state for adjustment, and
 congress should then act in strict accord
 ance with such decisions.
 Under our present system it is possible
 that minority of the voters might elect 6
 president. This appears if we consider
 that Ill a number of states the presidentia
 electors may receive an almost unanimous
 vote, as lltely occurred in Pennsylvania
 while in other states they may be choser
 by bare majority. In such an instance
 as that of Penn. every vote cast beyond {
 mere plurality Is vote for nothing, as {
 majority of many thousands in one state
 woull not neutralize @ majority of al
 many hundreds in another. If ten O
 the largest states, with about two-third
 of the entire population of the country
 should vote unanimously to-day for can
 didate, while the remainder of the states
 representing the other third of our popula
 tion, should give small maiorities for an
 other candidate, the latter might be elected
 against the expressed intent of a majorit of the people of the United States.
 The ten states possessing two-thirds O the population would be entitled to two
 thirds of the total representation in con gress,. and to the same number of member
 in the electoral college. In addition t this each of these ten states would be er titled, in the electoral college to two othe representatives, electors at large, core . spending to the number of senators fror each state. The remaining states of tn union would be represented by one-thir
 of the total number of congressman and corresponding number in the electoral col lege, but this latter, in addition to tn electors at large from these states, woul exceed the representatives in the electors college of the ten populous states.
 The object of resulting to presidents electors, in order to secure "deliberative body has long since ceased to have an, force. The system of leaving the selectio of candidates in the hands of political COT ventions has removed nearly every reason which at first existed for the interventio } of electoral colleges. The downfall of tn rebellion caused state rights and state line to be largely relinquished by their old time advocates, yet there remains the fac : that our country is, to certain extent ] sectional, and every political experimen of the day shows that state independenc has much to do with the maintenance C free government among us. It is we'll t
 beware of subiecting popular governmer to too great strain, and the present syt tenn of presidential elections constitutes very serious strain. As our methods ( election are now constituted, the state have, through the electoral college, a pal ticipation ill name merely, while the ut 3 mate control is in the exercise of the gen eral government, from which, for the sak of safety, it is believed it should be rt , moved.