Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1890-03-28

Congressional elections, is OF the
utmost importance. 1t may not 60
through ON its present form, but
some such legislation is sure to be
adopted, either by this Congress or
in the near future. Ia brief, it ap-
plies the features Of the Australian
system to Representatives districts.
Federal control of Congressional
elections is but a stepping stone to
Federal control of Presidential elec-
tions. The electoral system has
stood the test of q century, but it
has received some pretty severe
shocks. The time must come when
the present plan of electing Presi-
dents by States must cease in the
interest Of purer politics. There is
no longer a necessity for electors
and electoral colleges. Why should
not every citizen Of every State cast
his vote directly for President and
Vice President, the grand majority
in the nation at large to determine
the result ? 1t is an old idea, but
it will continue to be pretty lively
one until the change is made.
The advantages Of such system
are great. The premium on fraud
would vanish. We should hear no
more of close States and the pur-
chase of voters to carry them. In.
diana could vote in peace. The
grand struggle to carry New York,
New Jersey and Connecticut would
come to an end, for a few hundred
votes either way would make no
change in the result. Every citizen
of the United States would feel that
his vote was needed to help out the
grand total, and the election would
become of national Importance and
the interest would not be confined
to desperate contest over three
or four States.
About the only plausible objec-
tion to a national election of this
nature would be the possibility Of
frauds In some of the Southern
States, but just here Federal con-
troll would step in. Apply the
Australian system to every precinct.
Make the law uniform everywhere,
and the danger of fraudulent voting
would practically be eliminated.
We should then have the nearest to
an ideal election possible, and the
charges and counter charges of cor
ruption, so fercely made every four
years, would no longer disgrace the
nation. This alone is worth striy.
ing for.
But there is another argument in
favor Of q majority election. Every
public man would have an equal
chance as candidate for the nom
ination. A National Convention
would be free to pick out the best
and brainest man wherever he might
be found. Too frequently it seems
to be necessary to cater to doubtful
States, and close States have more
than once controlled nominations
that under other circumstances
would have gone elsewhere. The
nations greatest statesmen have
been barred from competition solely
because Of location. In the seleo-
tion of President we are thus
sometimes confined to narrow limits,
while the nation at large has no
more chance in convention than
Canada or the Sandwich Islands.
The injustice of this is apparent to
all, but the trouble has been to over
come the difficulty.
There is but one way to overcome
; it, and that is the adoption of con-
stitutional amendment providing a
change in the electoral system.
What is termed in these days
practical politics" can be overcome
in no other way. Let the nation
and not the. doubtful States make
the choice and we shall have purer
politices and minimum of fraudu-
lent voting. Asa movement in the
direction Of Federal control of Presi-
dental elections We look upon Mr..
Lodges bill with more han ordi-
nary interest y