The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1891-12-10

These methods have already found effective
apple alton to the choice of sen ,tors and Rep
rasentatives In congress and now an evil start
has been made In the direction Of applying
them to the choice by the suites OF electors
Of president and vice president II this 10
accomplished. We shall then hive three
great departments OF the government In the
grasp OF the gerrymander. the legislative
and the executive directly and the Judiciary
indirectly through the power Of appoint
ment.
An election implies body OF electors hav-
Ing prescribed qualifications. etch one OF
whom has an equal value and Influence In
tuition provides that leach state shall
appoint telect) In such manner as
the legislature thereof may direct,
number OF electors" etc, an I'M
restricted power was not given TO the legis-
latures In the selectioa OF m-thods to be
used republican form of government 10
guaranteed by the constitution to each state,
and the power given by tho same instru-
mcnt to the legislatures OF the states to pre-
scribe methods for the choice by the state.
Of electors must be exercised under that
limitation The essential features OF such .
government are the right Of the people to
choose their own Officers and the nearest
practicable equality OF value In the suffrages
given In determining that choice.
IL will not be clainrd that the power given
to the legislature would support q law pro-
viding that the persons receiving the small
est vote should be the electors Of Law thas
all electors should be chosen by the voters
Of Q single cor gressionai district and
under the pretense of regulating methods
the Legislature can neither vest the
right OF cho ce elsewhere nor adopt
methods not conformablo to republican
institutions u Is not my purpose here
TO discuss the question whether q
choice by the legislature or by the
voters of equal single districts lie
a choice by the state, but only to recon-
mend such regulation Of this matter by con-
stitutionai amendment as will secure uni
formity and prevent that disgracefui par
tlssn jugglery to which such q liberty OF
choice, 10 10 exists, offers q temptation.
Nothing Just now Is more Important than to
provide every guaranty for the absolutely
fair and free choice by equal suffrage
within the respective states OF all the officers
Of the national government whether that
suffrage Is applied directly as In tho
choice Of members OF the house Of rep-
resentatives, or Indirectly rs In the cho'cs
OF senators and electors Of president Re-
spect for pnblic officers and obedience to
law will not cease to be the characteristics
Of our people until our elections cease to
declare the will OF maiorities fairly sscer-
tanned. without fraud, suppression or gerry
mander. IL I were called upon to declare
wherein our chief national danger lies !
should say, without hesitation, In the over
throw OF majority control by the suppress
sion or perversion of the popular suffrage.
That there Il q real DANGER here all must
agree But the energies of those who see 10
have been chefis expended In trying to m
responsibility upon the opposite party.
rather than in efforts to make such practices
impossible by either party.
Is Il not possible now to adjourn that in
IL. -
We take, by consent. one step In the direc-
ton OF reform by elIminatin; the gsrryman-
der which has been denounced by all parties
as an influence In the election Of electors OF
president and members OF congress2
All the states have, acting ire ly and sep
arItely, determined that The choice Of elect
ors by general ticket Is the wisest
and safest method. AMI 70 would seem
there could bs no objection TO a constitu-
tional amendment making that method
permanent n a legislature chosen in one
year up.n purely local questions should,
pending y presi lential contest, meet. re-
sclnd the Law for choice upon a general
ticket, and provide for th choice of elect.
ors by the legislature, and this trick should
determine the result, 10 Is not too much 20
say that the public peace might be seriously
and widely endangered.
have alluded TO the "gerrymander'' as
aff citing the method OF selecting electors OF
president by congressional districts, but the
primary intent and effect of this form Of
political robbery hive relation to the selec-
tIon OF members Of the house OF represen-
tativss The power Of CO rsr.ss Is ample to
deal with this threatening and intolerable
abuse. The unfailng test of sincerity In
election reform will be found in wiling
ness to confer as to remedies and to put Into
force such m assures rs will most effectually
preserve the right Of the opie to free and
nual reDresentatiOn-