The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-13

so fair a representation Of the people in
any Government, ancient or modern. Our
Electoral College was formed on the the
ory that in Federal Government the ma
ioritv OF the States should rule and not the
majority OF the people. This appears to
yitiate the principle of republication, but
it does not, for 1t is the majority Of the
people In each State which elects to the
Electoral College,"
LONG COUNT.
mentioned Gen. Spinola's idea of
sending the votes OF the States to Congress
to be counted.
DWELL, West Virginia's vote has not yet
got where it ought to get" replied Mr..
Flower. "Under that system you might
have some of the States where there is no
registration law voting even after the 4th
OF March. Our system Of electing the
President has worked SO well in the past
that | should be loath to favor any change,
no matter how cumbersome the electoral
college may seem at first thought"
"But does it not seem strange, MIR.
Flower, that in republic over 6,000,00
OF people should be DISTINGUISHED, so to
speak?'
swell, when you have no check upon
the majority you soon cease TO have
government. There has been no Repub-
lie formed on such a basis as that. Our
Republic endures because Of the checks to
sectionalism. The people delegate to the
members Of the Electoral College the
power to elect President and they can
elect any one they see fit. When this law
was made 1t was not contemplated to have
conventions rs now. All the nominations
were made in Washington by Congress
men and Senator's"
Mr.. Flower went on TO say that lie did
not think Dakota or any Of the Southern
or Western States had interests opposed to
New York, for example, to call for re-
vision OF the Presidential Election law.
Geographically Dakota was q more i'm
portant State than New York, inasmuch as
IL had l5l, 900 square miles while New
York had only 1000. Dakota Is as big as
the original thirteen States. She had q
system Of Government which fitted ber
and educated her for the honors OF State
hood. So with the other three new States.
The United States was going TO be more
unified country than ever before. There
was no necessity for us 10 send our young
people to other countries to make fortunes.
America was wide enough, had scope and
opportunity enough for all.
A MINORITY PRESIDENT.
When put this tabular tatement before
Mr.. William Steinway, hc said: at
seems to work q great hardship. Our
present President is a minority President
II is true have not made this subject a
special steady, but on the spur OF the
moment do not see why the President
and Vice President should not be elected
by the popular vote, as any other officer
, is, like the Governor OF the State. II it IL
right in the one case why should ii not be
right in the other2 There is another
point which has been taken OF late-New
York is regarded rs the pivotal State.
Now, single large State like this is re-
garded ms of 80 much importance that
others will do their best to win over 1000
or 5000 votes in il TO one particular side,
and that 1000 or 5000 might decide the
Presidency. But II 100000 votes or more
were necessary II would not be so easy 70
get them, and the will Of the majority Of
, the people would rule, aud | think that
! the election OF the President directly by
the people is the cardinal principle OF the
Constitution"