New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-05-05
~ ELECTORAL EXPERIMENT.

The Michigan Legislature has passed a DILL
which will doubtless become law by the Gov
ernor's signature providing that hereafter Pres
idential Electors shall be chosen by Congrcsson'
al districts. instead of on State ticket. The
nurq,ose of this measure is TO secure some OF
the electors for the next Democratic candidate
for the Presidency, the expectation OF the Dem
ocrats in control OF tho Michigan Legislature
being that the State will be Republican in 1892
ON the popular vote, but that some OF the Con-
p,essional districts will BE- safely Democratic.
That is the purpose Of the bill, and that is also
certain TO be it's effect, il it becomes law.
How many Of the fourteen electoral votes OF
Michigan will DO gained for the Democracy by
this means is OF course predetermined. The pro-
moters OF the scheme hope to get one-half OF
them.
Nobody can doubt that this method OF choos-
ing electors is constitutional, II legally adopted.
Moreover some plausible arguments have been
made in its favor, and notably this, dat it tends
to bring the choice Of President little nearer
10 the people, II il conceivable thas null and
intelligent discussion of its merits might COM
mend it to the voters OF any Stats. without re-
gard TO politics. As just adopted by the Mchi-
gan Legislature, however, IL is simply political
device. and moreover, it was carried through
by a majority which had no moral right to exist
The Michigan Senate contained an equal num-
Der of Republicans and Democrats the balance
of power being held by members who, elected
to represent supposed industrial interests in par
ticuar, inclined in general to side with tho
Republicans. and in fact did help the Repub-
lcans to organize the Senate. But later the
Democrats, catching their adversares at dis
advantage, with several Of them absent turned
out two members without respect to the con-
trovery then in progress over their seats ana
brought in the two contestants, thus gaming con-
troll of the upper house, as they already had con-
troll of tho lower. 1t is the Legislature thus
made Democratic in both branches which has
passed the Electoral bill and sent 1t to Dem
ocratic Governor.
1t is not absolutely certain however thathhis
shrewd partisan act will stand. Michigan Re
publicans are discussing the question OF testing
its validity in the courts. The Constitution Of
Michigan contains the usual provision making
each branch OF the Legislature tho judge OF the
qualifications Of its own members, but those who
are in favor of bringing the electoral law into
court argue that there is no improperly in ask
ing to have the nature and extent OF this au-
thority iudcially determined. They say, In
substance that the Democratic members OF the
Senate might with Just as much justice reason
and propriety have created Democratic ma
ioritv by giving seats in that body to any other
two men in the State as by giving them to the
two men by whose aid the Electoral bill was
passed. The supreme Court Of Michigan may
therefore DO asked to decide just what and how
much the Constitution means in the clause re-
lating TO the qualifications OF members OF the
Legislature. The question is certainly an in
teresting one, and its discussion will not be con-
fined to single State and to the case in point
Nor is the plan of referring the choice OF
electors to Congressional districts a matter OF
small concern to the rest of the country. If
carried out in Michigan only il may possibly
determine the result of tho Presidential cleo
ton, but it is more likely to suggest similar
legislation in other States. 1t opens new
field for political calculations 1t may happen
hereafter at any session in numerous States that
the party in control Of the Legislature will DO
in 50 grave doubt OF its power to get al the
Presidential Electors on popular vote as to
make the certainty of getting some OF them
through district elections extremely aIlurng
If. for example, Republican Legislature and
Governor shall be chosen in Now-York next Ne
vember it may strike not few persons that
tie passage OF a law like that Of Michigan would
be good politics. 1t is not too much to say that
the example of the Badger State suggests be-
wildering complications and possibilities.
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