The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-12-10
has rcccn,ly attracted 70


President has recently attracted re-
ncwed interest BY reason Of departure
by tho state OF Michigan from the
method which had become uniform III
nil tho states. Prior to 49, various
methods hnd been used by the dltietcnt
states and oven by the same state, In
some tho choice was mnlu by tho lcgls.
lN,ure; in others tho electors were
chosen By districts, but more GENERALLY
By the voters Of tic whole state upon u
general ticket. Tho movement towards
the adoption OF the last named notified
hndan early beginning and went steattlty
forward among the states until in lS32
| there remained bit u single state, south
Carolina, that Ind not adopted II. That
state until tho civil war continued to
choose It's electors by Il vote OF tho lcglS.
lature, but aitGr tho war changed its
method aud concerned to tho practice
OF the other states.
For nearly sixty years MI the states
save one have appointed their electors
by 4 popular vote upon II general ticket,
and Tor nearly thirty years this method
was universal. After Il full test OF other
methods without important division or
dissent in any state and without any
purpose OF party advantage, aa We must
believe, but solely upon tho constdera.
tons that uniformity was desirable and
that n general election in territorial
| divisions not sublcctto change was most
consistent with the popular character
OF our institutions, bcst preserved the
equality OF voters and perfectly removed
| the choice OF President from tho balo-
iul influence OF tho ''gcrrymander,h tho
practice OF all the states was brought
into harmony. That this concurrence
should now be broken is, think, an I'M
fortunate and ven n threatening cpl
sodc, and II that may well suggest
| whether tho states that still give their
| approval to the old md prevailing
method ought not TO secure, by Il con-
stitutional amendment, n practice which
has had the approval of all. Tho re-
cent Michigan legislation provides for
choosing what arc popularity known rs
| the congressional electors for President
by congressional districts, and tho two
senatorial electors by districts created
for that purpose.
THE CONVENIENT GERRY MANDEl,
This legislation was, OF course, accom-
panied by 4 new congressional appor-
tionmcnt, and the two statutes bring
the electoral vote OF the state under the
influence OF tho "gOrrymandor.' These
gcrrymandors for congressional pur-
poses are in most cases buttressed bya
gerrymander OF the legislative districts,
thus making it impossible for II major
ityoi the legal voters OF the state to cor
rect the apportionmcnt and eQuali2e
the congressional districts. A minority
rule is established that only a political
convulsion can overthrow. l have re-
Gently been advised that in II county
OF 4 certain state three districts Tor the
election OF members OF tho legislature
are constituted MS follows: Ono has
$4,000 population, one $4,000 and one
10000: while in another county, de-
tached, non-contiguous selections have
been united TO make 4 legislative dis
trict. These methods have already
found effective application to the
choice OF senators and representa-
tives in Congress and in now =
step has been made III tho direction OF
applying them to choice BY states OF
electors OF President and Vice pTeSi-
dent. Ii this is accomplished VIC shall
then have the three great departments
OF the government in the grasp OF the
"Gerrymmder," the legislative and cx-
ecatives directly, and the judiciary in
directly through the power OF appoint
mcnt. An election implies q body OF
electors having prescribed headquarters,
each ono OF whom has an equal value
and influence III determining tho re-
suit. So when the constitution pro-
vides that each state shall appoint"
~(elect), "in such manner as the !cgisla-
tlre thereof may direct n number OF
electors" etc, an unrestricted power
was not given the legislatures in the Sc
lection Of tho methods to be used. "a
Republican form OF government" is
guaranteed by the constitution to each
state and the power given by the same
instrument to legislatures OF the state
to prescribe methods for choice by the
state Of electors must DO exercised un-
der that Limitation. :
The essential features OF such = gov
ernmcnt are the right OF the people to
choose their own officers and the near
est practicable equality OF value in the
sutirages given in determining that
choice. 1t will not be claimed that the
power given to tho legislature would
support 4 law providing that the per-
soNs receiving the smallest vote should
be the electors or I law that all electors
should be chosen by the voters OF q
single congressional district III the state,
and under the p%rctcnsc OF regulating
methods the Legislature can neither
vest the right Of choice elsewhere nor
adopt methods not comfortable to re-
publican institutions. 1t is not my
purpose hero to discuss the question
whethera choice by the legislature or
by the voters OF equal single districts is
a'cholcc by the state, butonly to recon-
mend such regulation OF this matter by
constitutional amendment as will Sc
cure uniformity and prevent that dis
graceful partisan jugglery to which
such 4 liberty OF choice, ii it exists,
oilers 4 temptation.
OUR CHIEF NATIONAL DANGER.
Nothing just now is more important
than TO provide every guarantee ior alb
solutcly fair and free choice by IN equal
suffrage within the respective states Of
all the officers OF the national govern.
ment, whether that suffrage is applied
| tIrnnflty 90 IN tl~# ala IT, - -. - :