Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1891-12-17
Constltutlonal Amendment suggested.

The method Of appointment by the States of
Electors Of President and Vice President has
OF departure by 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 After a full test OF other
methods, without important division or dis
sent In any State and without any purpose OF
party advantage we must believe the prac-
tice of all the States was brought into harmony.
That this concurrence should now by broken Is,
i think, an unfortunate and even threatening
episode. and one that may well suggest whether
the states that still give their approval to the
old and prevailing methods ought not TO secure
by constitutional amendment, practice
which has had the approval OF all. The recent
Michigan Legislation provides for choosing
what are popularity known as the Congressional
Electors for President by Congressional dis
tricts, and the two Senatorial Electors by dis
tricts created for that purpose This legisla-
ton was, OF course, accompanied by a new
Congressional apportionment. and the two
statutes bring the electoral vote OF the State
under the influence OF the gerrymander.
These gerrymanders for Congressional pur-
poses ere IN most cases outtre. sed by gerry
mander OF the legislative dist lets, thus making
1t impossible for amajority of Ie gal voters
OF the state to correct the apportionment and
70 io eq1size the trn,
rule is established that only a polite Il
convulsion can overthrow. have recently
State three districts for the election of men,
beers OF the Legislature are constituted as fol-
lows One has 5000 population, one 1900,
and one 10000, while in another county detach-
ed non-contiguous sections have been united to
make legislative district These
methods hsyS already cn found eeO
ators and representatives. in Congress, and now
an evil start has been made In the direction of
applying thsm to the choice by the States OF
Electors OF President and Vice President II
this Is accomplished we shall then have three
great departments OF the Government in the
grasp Of the "gerrymander," the legislative and
uha agent diracflv and the judiciary fndi.
rectly through the power OF appointment.
An election implies body OF electors elect
whom has an eq ual status and influence In de-
termfning the result SO when the Constitu-
ton provides that each State shall appoint
(elect) in such manner as the Legislature thereof
may dir, ct, a number of electors etc.. an unre-
stricted power was not given to he Legislatures
In the selection OF the methods TO be used. "A re-
publican form OF government" Is guaranteed by
the Constitution TO each State, and the power
given by the same instrument to the egislature5
OF the States to prescribe methods for the choice
by the State, OF electors, must be exercised I'M
der that limitation. The essential features of
such government the right OF the people
to shS9ss shsir SEp SSsrs e and asf
given in determining that choice.
Nothing Just now is more important than to
provide every guarantee for the absolutely fair
and free choice by an equal suffrage, with the
respective States, Of all the officers of the Ma
uonal Government, whether that suffrage Is APP
piled directly, as in the choice Of members of
the House Of Representatives, or indirectly.
as IN the choice OF Senators and electors o.
President. Respect for public officers and ODE
dience to the law will not cease to be the char
>acteristics of our people until our elections
cease to declare the will of maiorities fairly
certained. without fraud, suppression. or gerry
mander.
All the States have acting freely and sepap.
ately. determined that the choice OF elections Y
a general ticket is the wisest and safest Method
and 1t would seem there could be no objection
to a constitutional amendment making that
method permanent. II a legislature chosen
In one year upon purely local questions
should pending Presidential ntest rescind
the law for a choice upon a general ticket and
provide for the choice of electors by the Legfs-
latu and this trick should determine the
suit, II is not too much to say that the public
peace might be seriously and widely endan-
gered. .tr,