Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-12-11

The grain crop of this year was the largest in
our history and yet the new markets ana me .s
Europe have sustained prices, bringing relief
and prosperity to an industry that was much
depressed.
The value of the grain crop of the United
States is estimated by the secretary to be thls;
year 100000 more than last, and OF all
products of the farm S700,U0,oOO more. 1t IS
not inappropriate to suggest that our sat
isfaction is unclouded by any suspicion of the
currency in which the farmer IS paid for the
product of his fields.
The Civil Service Commission.
The civil service commission invites a per-
sonal inspection by senators and represent
atives of its records and methods. 1t is not
claimed that the system or its administration
is perfect, but believe that the law is being
executed with impartiality and that the sys-
tenn is incomparably better and fairer than
that of appointments upon favor: have dur
ing the year extended the classified service tic
include superintendent, teachers, mairons
and physicians in the Indian service.
The heads of the several executive depart
ments have been directed to establish at once
an efficiency record as the basis of Il compare.
tive rating of the clerks within the classified
service, with view to placing promotions
therein upon the basis of merit.
recommend that the appropriations for the
civil service commission be made adequate tG
the increased work of the next fiscal year.
Protest Against the Gerrymander.
The method of appointment by the states OF
electors of president and vice president has re-
Gently attracted renewed interest by reason OF
departure of the state of Michigan from the
method which had become uniform in all the
states. Prior to 1882 various methods had been
used by the different states and even by the
same state.
South Carolina, until the civil war, continued
10 choose its electors by vote of the leglSla.
lure, but after the war changed its method and
conformed to the practice of the other states.
After full test of other methods, without
important division or dissent in any state and
without any. purpose OF party advantage. as
we must believe, but solely upon the consid-
eratlons that uniformity was desirable and
that general election in territorial divisions
not subject to change was most consistent
with the popular character of our institutions,
pest preserved the equality of the voters and
perfectly removed the choice of president from
the baneful influence of the "gerrymander,'
the practice of all the states was brought into
harmony.
That this concurrence should now be broken
IS, think, an unfortunate and even a threat.
enlng episode, and one that may well suggest
whether the states that still give their approval
to the old and prevailing method ought not tc
secure by a constitutional amendment prac.
t1ce which has had the approval of all. The
recent Michigan legislation was of course ac.
companled by a new congressional apportion.
mcnt and the two statutes bring the electoral
vote OF the state under the influence of the
"gerrymander."
poses are in most cases buttressed by a gerry
mander of the legislative districts, thus MAX
ing it impossible for a majority of the legal
voters of the state to correct the appointment
and equaliZe the congressional districts. A
minority rule is established that only a politi.
cal CONFUSION can overthrow. | have recent.
ly been advised that in one county of certain
state three districts for the election of mem.
bers of the legislature are constituted as fol.
lows: One has 5000 population, one 1900, and
one 10000, while in another county, detached,
noncontiguous sections have been united te
make legislative district.
Now an evil start has been made in the di.
rection of applying this to the choice by the
states of electors of president and vice presi-
dent. Ii this is accomplished, we shall then
have the three great departments of the gov.
eminent in the grasp of the "gerrymander,'
the legislative and executive directly and the
judiciary indirectly through the power of ap.
pointment.
When the constitution provides that ''eaoh
state shall appoint" etc, an unrestricted
power was not given to the legislatures in the
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.
ercised under that limitation.
1t will not be claimed that the power giver
to the legislature would support a law provd-
ing that the persons receiving the smallest vote
should be the electors a law that all the
electors should be chosen by the voters of
single congressional district. The state is tc
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 such
regulation of this matter by constitutional
amendment as will secure uniformity and pre-.
vent disgraceful partisan jugglery.
Nothing just now is more important than te
provide every guarantee for the absolutely fair
and free choice by an 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
lions cease to declare the will of majorities
fairly ascertained, without fraud, suppression
or gerrymander.
If were called upon to declare wherein our
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 it 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 it 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 infiu.
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
If a legislature chosen in one year upon purely
local questions should, pending presidential
contest, meet rescind the law for a chc:ce
choice of electors by the legislature, and tins
trick should determine the result, it is not 40
much to say that the public peace might be
seriously and widely endangered.
l have alluded to the ssgerrymander'' as af-
fecting the method of selecting electors of
president by congressional districts, but the
primary intent and effect of this form of polt-
ical 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 nm
failing test of sincerity in election reform will
be found in a willingness to confer as to rene
dies and to put into force such measures as
will most effectually preserve the right of the
people to 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
appointments and free elections.
believe it would be possible to constitute a
nonpartisan commission to whom the question
might be committed with a good prospect Of
or mitigating those evils. The constitution
would permit the selection of the commission
to be vested in the supreme court, if that meth
cd would give the best guarantee of impartial
While the policies of the general government
upon the tariff, merchant marine and other
matters of general concern are liable to be
turned this way or 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 or that by
the results of presidential election, there is a
rightful interest in all the states that will not
be slenced 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 free ballot and
equal representation as the price of their allie
glance to laws and to civil magistrates.
i have been greatly rejoiced to notice many
evidences of the increased unification of our
people and of revived national spirit. Craft
fication and amazement struggle for suprema-
cy as we contemplate the population, wealth
y, its influence upon our people
and upon world, is for a brief time COM
mitted and we must not be faithless to
Its first condItion-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 9, 1891
nuPlCTMAC