The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-12-10


Woe president Inns recently attracted
renewed INTEREST ~ fensDn Oi de-
pnttute hy tho state Of Michigan
/ FROM Tho method which had become
uniform IN all Tho Hthlet Prior 10
| lRIlg various methods had boon ustd
by tho different states hnd o7on ny
| tho amino auto, In uUidp tho choice
was made by tho Legislature Ia
nthets tho electors wore GhOHou by
dinlricIs, bat more gcuornlly Dy
| thu vpIliU u' |uU Whole state upon ~
general ticket. Tho movement to-.
ward tho adoption Of tho last
named method hni M ohrly begin
ming mud won't HtonIily forward
among tho HlnloB until In 1882 there
remained but II single state, South
Carolina, TINT Ind not adopted 1t.
Tho state until tho civil war
continued 10 choose It's electors ny
n vote Of tho legislature but after the
war changed liz method and con
formed TO tho practice Of the other
Htntcs. For ncarly sixty years all the
states, Hnvo ono, hnvc appointed Their
electors by popular vote upon gen
oraI ticket For nearly thirty years
thiB method was universal. After
full tGgt Of all methods without inn
pOrtant division or dissent IN the state
and without any purpose Of party adj
vantage, rs wo believe, but solely
upon the considerations that uniform
ily wa3 desired and that u general
election in territorial divisions was
not subject TO change, was inconsist-
ont with the proper character Of our
institutions. II is best to preserve the
equality H the voters and per
fcctly remove the choice OF
president from the baneful
influences Of the "gerrynandcr," the
practice Of all the states was brought
| into harmony That this concurrence
should now be broken is, think, an
unfortunate and even threatening
episode, and one that may well su@-
gest whether the states that still give
their approval to the old once prevail
ing method, ought not to secure by
constitutional amendment, practice
which has had the approval Of all the
states.
The recent Michigan legislature
provided system for what is pOpu-
larly known as the congressional cleo
ton for electors and the two senate
rial electors by districts created for
that purpose. This legislaton was Of
course accompanied by a new Goa
gressional appOrtionment, and the two
statutes being the electoral vote Of
the state, under the influence of the
'gerrymandeF." These gerryman-
ders for congressional purposes
are in most cases buttressed by
the gerrymander Of the legislative
districts, thus making it impossible
for majority of che legal voters of the
state to correct the apportionments
and equaliZe the congressional dis
tricts. A minority rule is established
that only a political CONFUSION can
overthrow. [ have recently been adj
vised that in one county of certain
state, three districts for the election OF
members of the legislature are consti-
tuted as follows:
One has $1,000 population, ore 49,
600 and one 10 900. while in another
county, detached, non-cOntiguous
sections have been united to make
legislative district. These methods
have already found al effective appli
cation to the choice Of senators and
representatives in congress and now
an evil start has been made in the
direction Of applying 10 the choice by
the states OF electors If the president
and vice president. IF this is accom-
plished we should have three great
departments. of government in the
grasp Of the geYryman ier, the legisla-
lure, executive and the judiciary in
directly through the power of APP
continent an election, implies
g. body Of electors, kav-
ing prescribed qualifications
each one of whom has an equal value
and influence in determining the re-
suit, so when The constitution provides
that each state may appoint and elect
IN SAch manner as the legislature
thereof may direct, number of elect
Ors, ETC., an unrestricted power was
not given to the legislature, and in
this relation, in the methods 10 be
used, a Republican form of govern
nlent is guaranteed by the constitu-
ton to- each state. The essential
features of such government are the
right OF the people to choose their own
officers. and the nearest practical
equality of value in the SURFACES
given in determining that choice.
It will not be claimed That the power
given to the legislature would sup
port it, providing that persons re-
ceiving the smallest vote should be
the electors, OF law that the electors
should be chosen by the voters of
single congressional district the state
is to choose, and under the pretense
regulating methods, the legislature
can neither vest the right of choice
elsewhere, nor adopt methods not
conformable by republican institu-
tons. 1t is not my purpose here to
discuss tie question whether.
a choice by the legislature
or by the voSers Of equal
single districts is choice by the state,
but only to recommend such legisla-
ton on this matter by constitutional
amendment as will secure uniformity
and prevent that disgraceful partisan
judgment which such 3 liberty of
choice, if 10 existed, offers tempta-
ton. Nothing just now is more i'm
portant than to provide every guar
anty for the absolutely fair and free