Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-03-20
The Buchanan Bill.

We have already. referred to the bill
Of Senator Buchanan Of New Philadel-
phia to change the manner Of choosing
electors for president and vice president.
As the measure has attracted general at
tention without as well ~ within the
State we reproduce IL In full.
A bill to provide for the election Of
electors for president and vice president
In the State Of Ohio.
SECTION ]. Be Il enacted by the gen.
erai assembly of the State Of Ohio that
electors for president and vice president
Of the United States in and for the State
of Ohio be chosen, agreeable to clauses
2 and 8 Of the first section Of the second
article Of the constitution Of the United
States as follows, to-wit:
l. There shall be two electors for
president and vice president chosen at
large by the voters Of the State Of Ohio
and the two persons who are candidates
for said offices having the highest num-
Der of votes shall be declared elected.
2. There shall be one elector for pres
ident and vice president chosen by the
voters in each congressional district of
Ohio as defined by law, aud the person
who is candidate for said Office receiv-
ing the highest number Of votes shall
be declared elected.
8. No elector except the two electors
at large shall be voted for or chosen In
or for any district of which he is not q
resident.
4. No person shall be eligible to the
Office Of elector for president and vice
Ms xvhA to ~ al nf a
United States and the State Of Ohio
and otherwise meets the requirements
of the constitution of the United States.
Said electors shall be chosen on the first
Tuesday after the first Monday In No
vember, A. D. 1892 and every four
years thereafter on the said first Tues
day after the first Monday of Novem-
Der.
Sec. 2. All acts and parts of acts in
conflict with the provision Of the fore
going section be and the same are here
by repealed.
SEC. 8. This act shall take effect and
be In force from and after its passage.
| AS we have said before, the constitu-
tionality of the bill cannot be assailed.
The constitution of the United States
clothes the legislature of each State
with full powers to direct how the elec-
tors shall be appointed" The bill di-
rects that the senatorial electors shall
be elected by the voters of the whole
State and the district electors by the
voters of the respective districts and moi
otherwise. It provides also that they
shall be elected in the congressional dis
triets as defined by law. The districts al
defined by law at this time are those es.
tablished by the Price bill passed few
days ago. The passage of the McComat
bill by congress would not change the
boundaries Of those districts for presi
dehtial elector purposes. even lift could
be made effective as regards members
of the fifty-second congress, for the con
stitution bars the interference Of con
gress with the manner in which the
presidential electors In each State ar,
to be appointed except in regard t
the time OF choosing them.
Theoretically the bill proceeds on th,
right principle. The constitution pro
vides for the apportionment of elector
according to the number Of senators anC
representatives to congress in the State
The political parties In choosing dele
gates to their national conventions rec
ognize the principle Of separate distric
and general representation in the Stat
delegation. The appointing" Of tn,
senatorial electors' by the State q
large and the Representative electors
by the respective districts would b,
more in harmony with the whole sys
tenn than the present plan of "appoint
ingn all the electors In q lump by tn
general vote Of the State. But ther
are practical questions involved ant
these should be carefully weighed be
fore any action is. taken on the Buchan
an bill. All the States have settlet
down to the plan Of appointing th
electors by popular vote on genera
ticket. There are many reasons why
is not always the best plan, butt is no
wise or safe to make departure from
the uniform practice unless for tn
gravest cause. Even II the bill shoul'
become law it could be repealed by
succeeding legislature in time for tn
election of 1892 and most assuredl,
would be If the next legislature shoul,
be Republican. Nothing, therefore
would be gained by the passage of tn
bill by this legislature.
i If all the States were to agree +
change the method Of appointing
presidential electors 80 as to recogniz
the district system it would perhaps b
, wise move and would be more likel,
to insure an administration represent
ing popular sentiment than at present
when the candidates who fell short o
J q popular plurality by nearly 1000
votes came into Office by an electors
majority Of 65 in total Of 401. But re
fiection will suggest reasons why
would hardly be wise for the presen
legislature to attempt the change 70
Ohio.- Psdsn Dealer.