The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1891-12-11
FRIDAY, DECEMBER II 1891.
lCoatinuea from arst uaae.l

lCOHt1NuSI JTOJH .WT5t VuyeJ
companied by II new congressional apportion.
ment and the two statutes bring the electoral
vote of the state under the influence of the
'gerrymander.'
These gerrymandcrs for congressional pur-
poses are In most cases buttressed by gerry
mander Of the Legislative districts, thus max
ing 1t impossible for majority OF the lega
voters of the state to correct the appointment
and equalize the congressional districts. a
minority rule is established that only poIiti
gal CONFUSION can overthrow ! Laye recent
ly been advised that In one county OF certain
state three districts for the election Of mem.
beers of the legislature are constituted as fol.
one 10000. while in another county, detached,
noncontignons sections have been united IT,
make a legislative district.
Now an evil start has bean made In the di.
rection Of applying this TO the choice by the
states Of electors Of president and vice prcsi-
dent. II this is accomplished, we shall then
eminent In the grasp Of tho '...gerrymander, g
the legislative and executive directly, and the
Judiciary indirectly through the power OF APP
When the constitution provides that leach
state shall appoint" etc, an unrestricted
power was not given to the legislatures in Tho
selection of the methods to be used
A republican form of government" is guar.
anteed by the constitution To each state, and
the power given to the legislatures must be ex.
erciscd under that limitation.
1t will not be claimed that the power given
to the legislature would support u law provid-
ing that the persons receiving the smallest vote
~
electors should be chosen by the voters of q
single congressional district. The state IL to
choose, and the legislature can neither vest the
right of choice elsewhere nor adopt methods
not conformable to republican institutions. II
Is my purpose here only to recommend zach
regulation of this matter by constitutional
amendment AS will secure uniformity and pre-
ven. disgracefal partisan jugglery.
Nothing just now is more important than to
provide every guarantee for the absolutely fair
and free choice by equal suffrage, within
the respective states, of all the officers of the
national government. Respect for public off,
GERS and obedience TO law will not cease to be
the characteristics OF our people until our cleo
tions cease to declare the will of Inajorites
fairly ascertained, without fraud suppression
or gerrymander.
II were called upon to declare wherein oul
chief national danger lies, should say, with
out hesitation, in the overthrow of majority
control by the suppression or perversion of the
popular suffrage That there is real danger
here all must agree, but the energies of those
who see il have been chiefly expended in try.
ing to fix, responsibility upon the opposite
party. rather than in efforts to make such
practices impossible by either party.
Is 1t not possible now to adjourn that inter-
minable and inconclusive debate while we
take, by consent, one step in the direction Of
reform by eliminating the gerrymander, which
has been denounced by all parties as an intlu.
ence in the selection of electors of president
and members of congress? All the states have,
acting freely and separately, determined that
the choice of electors by a general ticket is the
wisest and safest method, and it would seem
there could be no objection to constitutional
amendment making that method permanent.
II u legislature chosen in one year upon purely
local questions should, pending presidential
contest, meet, rescind the law for a choice
upon general ticket and provide for the
choice of electors by the Legislature, and this
trick should determine the result, it is not too
much to say that the public peace might be
seriously and widely endangered.
have alluded to the ''gerrymander" as af-
fecting the method of selecting electors of
president by congressional districts, but the
primary intent and effect of this form of polt-
1cal robbery have relation to the selection of
members of the house of representatives The
power of congress is ample to deal with this
threatening and intolerable abuse. The UNI
failing test of sincerity in election reform will
be found in Willingness to confer to RENE
dies and to put into force such measures as
will most effectually preserve the right of the
people 70 free and equal representation.
An attempt was made in the last congress
for the correction of frauds against the suf-
frage. must yet entertain the hope that it is
possible to secure a calm, patriotic considera-
ton of such constitutional or statutory changes
as may be necessary to secure the choice of the
officers of the government to the people by fair
apportionments and free elections
believe 1t would be possible to constitute a
nOnpartisan commission to whom the question
might be committed with a good prospect of
securing unanimity in some plan for removing
or mitigating those evils The constitution
would permit the selection of the commission
to be vested in the supreme court, il that meth
cd would give the best guarantee of impartial
ity:
While the policies of the general government
upon the tariff. merchant marine and other
matters of general concern are liable to be
surned this way that by the results of con
gressional elections, and administrative poll
cies, sometimes involving issues that tend to
peace or war, to be turned this way OF that by
the results of presidential election, there Is a
rightful interest in all the states that will not
be silenced by The audacious pretense that the
question is a matter only of local concern or
control.
We must not entertain the delusion that our
people have ceased to regard a free ballot and
equal representation the price of their allie
glance TO laws and to civil magistrates.
have been greatly rejoiced to notice many
evidences of the Increased unification of our
people and of a revived national spirit. Graft
hcatlon and amazefnent struggle for supreba-
cy as we contemplate the population, wealth
and moral strength of our country. A trust,
momentous ills influence upon our people
and upon World, is for a brief time COM
mitted md we must not be faithless to
Its first cone eion-the defense of the free and
equal influence of the people in the choice of
public officers and in the control of public
affairs. BENJAMIN HARRISON
Executive Mansion, Dec. .. 1891
.TUTCT nIrT