Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-10-06
Re6.stricting the States to Elect the
President.

Re6.stricting the States TO Elect the
President.
The Michigan movement, TO which We
made reference il an article IN the last IA
eue Of the DIsPArcH. is important enough
TO justify an article devoted wholly 10
that subject. As we said on SUNDAY. II III
wolves the question of the capacity OF the
people for sef-government. for II wouin
he Crea. strain upon our free Institu-
tons" if either party should succeed IN
80 dIstricting the several States for the
election of electors Of President OF the
United States as 20 enable that party 10
elect the President at the same time that
large majority ofthe voters cast their votes
for the candidate OF the other party. In
1850 ABRAHAM LINCOLN was thus chosen
President. That Is TO say. BELL ana
BRKCKISRIpoK. his competitors. received
together almost twice as many votes as
LINCOLN did. and yet LINCOLN was chosen
: President by the electoral colleges OF the
several States, aad took the Office. Heaven
rave the Constitution and the national
Covernmcn, from another such strain.
After all is said tina. can be said on the
other side il must be conceded that to
for. igners. If not 10 our own people, our
forIl Of government must seem 10 DC
rather "A complicated enc. Its dual nature
is feature tina, may well claim the attcn-
ton Of students in foreign countrles-that
is, how Il government works whose dual
nature forbids II 10 legislate upon SO many
subjects. and vet allows 1t full liberty 70
touch the people whenever and wherever
occasion may demand national inter
ference.
The leading Republicans in Ohio cannot
but see that If the Michigan movement Is
extended 10 that State it viii continue It's
course until II shall have caused every
State TO be distracted for the election of
President. A Columbus letter IN the New
York Tribune says that the fight for the
GovernOrship of Ohio and for the control
Of its next Legislature involves the con-
t.nuanco or overthrow Of Hepublicsn su-
premacy IN her electoral college. II so II
involves the continuance or overthrow of
Republican supremacy in tho electoral
colleges OF ell the Republican States, and
also involves the continuance or over
throw of Democratic supremacy III all the
electoral colleges Of all the Democratic
States.
The Columbus letter referred to says
the Democrats may secure in advance
fifteen or sixteen Of Ohio's electoral votes.
The inventions Of the Republican malis-
lants have returned g. plague them.
They made voters Of the negroes in order
that they might count the newvOtcrs upon
their side. but the whites not only turned
tins weapon against the Republicans. but
60 managed as to make the votes of the
southern electoral colleges a solid block.
IL was to tho Republicans a disastrous dc
vice that OF enfranchislng the negroes.
BY one means or another the Eepubli-
cans have maintained their supremacy II
too many of the Northern States. II
Michigan. however, the Democrats carried
the last Legislature and at once began TO
study out measures 10 strengthen the
northern Democratic party. One of these
measures was the law t. provide for dis
tricting the State for tie choice of cleo
tors of President. This is the law
now III MiII.-h4t, W. NuN. anu II
is no, impossible that the electors
who Will thereby ho secured T. the Demo
Gratis next year IN that State NAV have the
casting vote when the various electoral
colleges meet TO ascertain who has been
chosen President Of the United States.
The Republicans of Ohio confess now that
# they carry the Legislature tins fall they
Will proceed 10 sohdfy tho vote Of that
State. They Will pass such law as viii
secure the whole electoral VOC Of that
State TO the Republicans. Such law has
been in operation IN each Of It's northern
Republican States for years. That IL 20
say, excepting Michigan, each Republican
state has u law providing that Its electors
of President shall be chosen on general
ticket. THIS law makes the northern Re
publican States a. solid ~ the southern
Democratic States.
So. then. the all-important issue Of the
ncar future IN the North - the district ng
Of the several States tor the choice OF cleo
tors Of President. The northern Demo
cratic States, as well rs the northern Re
publican States. will pass laws providing
fot the election Of such electors on gene
raj ticket. Bu, wherever either party shall
secure the Legislature Of State usually
controlled 10y the other party tina, success
ful party will proceed at once to pass law
providing for choosing the electors OF
President 10y districts.
And 50 /, VIII GO. Tho issues OF the
future will be as important as those Of the
past. PERHAPS as all j. well that euds
we'll" the FINAL outcome may be cause @.
generalization rather than Of regret. The
Alliance men. and the Greenbackers. and
the sub-Trcasury men. and the national
hank men, and the Gnti-nstioual- bank
men will al assist the Democrats TO turn
down the Republicans.