Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-12-19
The ELECTORAL SYSTEM.

| Tn Glazing His Message the President Has
Something to Say on Gerrymandering
and the Necessity OF Constitutional
Amendment.
Tho method OF appointment by the states
| OF electors of president and vice. presidens
has recently attracted renewed interest By
reason Of q departure by tho state Of Michi.
gan from the methods which had become
uniform in all the states. Prior to 1889 vari.
| Gus methods had been used by the different
| states and even by the same state. In some
| the choice was made by the legislature; in
| others electors were chosen by districts. bue
moro generally by the voters OF the whols
state upon general ticket The movement
towards the adoption OF the last named
method had an early beginning and went
steadily forward among the states. until
In ls32 there remained but single
| state, South Carolina. chat had not
adopted It That state. until the civil
war. continued % choose its electors by
vote of the legislature, but after the WaS
changed its method and cOnformed TO the
practice of other states For nearly sixty
| years all the states save one have appointed
| their electors by popular vote upon gen.
| eral ticket, and for nearly thirty years this
method was universal. After a full test Of
other methods, without important division
| or dissent In any state and without any pur-
| nose Of party advantage, as We must believe,
| but solely upon the considerations that un-
| iformIty was desirable and that general
election in territorial divisions not sub.
iect TO change was most consistent with the
| popular character OF our institutions.
best preserved the equality OF the voters
and effectually removed the choice OF pres
Ideut from the baneiul influence OF the
'gcrrymander," the practice OF all the states
was brought into harmony. That this con-
currence should now be broken, is, think.
| an unfortunate and even threatening cpl
sode and one that may well suggest whether
the states that still give their approval 20
the old and prevailing method ought not %
secure, by constitutional amendment,
practice which has had the approval Of
all
Recent Michigan legislation provides fog
choosing what are popularity known ~ thS
congressional electors for president by con-
RressIonal districts and the two senatorial
electors by districts created for that pur'
pose. This legislation was, OF course, ao-
companied by a new congressional appor-
tIonment, and tho two statutes bring the
electoral vote OF the state under the innu-
ence of the ''gerrymauder" These gerry
manders for congressional purposes are IN
most cases buttresse1 by gerrymander OF
the legislative districts. thus making IL I'm
possible for u majority OF the legal
voters OF the state to correct the
npportlonment and eQuallZs the con-
Rres .IonaI dlssricta minority ruls
Ia established that only a political
convulslon can overthrow. 1 have recently
been advised that In one county ora certain
state three districts for the election OF mem
bers OF tho legislature are constituted ~
follows: One has 5000 population; one ~.
| LOl. and one 10 900: while In another county.
detached, non- contiguous sections have
been united to make a legislative district
These methods have already found effective
appll, alton to the choice OF senators and rep
| resentatives In congress and nova evil start
! has been made In the direction OF applying
| them 10 the cho ice by ths states of electors
of president and lee.president II this Il
| accomplished. we shall then have thrns
great departments OF the government IN sne
9rasp OF the Rerrymander. the leglslaSiVe
! ana the executive directly and the judiciary