Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-12-10

Recent Mic Iigsn les alton Divides
chOosils what are Dp1u.ary known ast
on r-ss Olai elecJor- for pre-iieut by co
zressionaI III TT cts. ami the two senator
lie tors by dis rici, IT ated T that pu
pose. Tbs legis at on WIS of course,
omDauied by new OngresSiOna- Apo
comment, and thu two stu ute. bring
81 ctoral vote OF tie st tie un er the inh
ence of the ''gerrymarder." These ge ry-
mauders for con Eressional purposes are in
most cases buttresse by gerrymander of
the legislative districts. thus making il i'm
possible for a major ty of the legal
voters of the state to correct the
apportioament and equalizs the con
gres .fonaI districts. minority rule
CONFUSION can overthrow. 1 have recently
been advis tina. III one county of certain
state three di tri-ts for thee ection of mem
beers of the legislature are constituted as
fol .ows: One has so popullt o ~ one
o., an one 1000 whil in another county,
detac ed, non-cond uous sect ons have
leen unit i to IN Ike a gisla We strict
These methods have already found effective
appll alton t. the choice OF sen ltors and rep
resentatives in congress and now an evil start
has be n made in the direction of'applying
them TO the choice by the st ties Of electors
OF president AMI viCe president If this Is
accomplished we sh Ill then h we three
great dep rtments of the govern nent in the
grasp of the gerrymanler. the lie sislatiye
and the executive directly and the judiciary
Indirectly through the power of appoint
ment.
An election impi a body of electors hav-
ing prescribed qualif atoms, c oh one of
whom has an equal value and tiuence in
& eter min ng he result. So when the const-
tuition provinces that each iate shall
appoint (elecD il such manner as
the 9 stature thereof NAV direct,
I
restric,ei power was not given to the legis-
latures in the sele ton OF III 'thods to be
used A republican form OF government is
| guar inteed y the constitution to each state,
| and the power given by the same instru-
| ment to the legi -laturCs of the states to pre-
scribe methods for the choice by tn state
of electors must be exercised under that
lin tation The essential feat res Of such
government are the right of the people to
chuo g their own officers and the nearest
practIca lie equality of value in the suffrages
given in determining that choice.
1t will not be claim d that the power given
| to the legislature would support law pro
vidiug that the persons re civ ng the small
est vote shOu d be The electors of law that
| q 1 electors should be chosen by the voters
of a single co gross iOnal district, ana
under the pretense of regulating methods
the legislature can neither vest the
right of cho &c elsewhere nor adopt
institutions. It is not my purpose here
to discuss the question whether a
choice by the Legislature or by the
voters OF equal sin lie districts Is
a choice by the stat ', but only to recon-
mend such regulation of this matter by con-
stitutional amendment rs will secure uni
formity and prev mt that disgraceful par
tisan iugglery to which such lib-r,y of
choice if it exists, Offers a temptation.
Nothing Just now is more important than to
provide every guaranty for the absolutely
fair and free choice by an equal suffrage
within the respective states OF all the officers
of the nationIl government whether that
stuff age is applied directly as in the
choice Of members of the house OF rem
resentatives, or indir city as In the cho ce
of senators AMI electors of .sident Re-
spect for pnbl c Offic rs and obedience to
law will not cease TO be the characteristics
of our people until our ell ctiOns cease TO
declare the wi of majorities fairly ascer-
tanned wi hout fraud suppression or gerr
manIer II / were ca led upon to declare
wherein cur chief ma ional danger lies l
shoulI say, without hesitat on, in the over
throw Of majority control by the suppress
sion or perversion of the popular suffrage.
That there il a real dan or here all must
agree But the energies of those who Sc il
have been chief expended in trying to fix
resp n-iuIity uDon tine opposite party,
rather than in forts to make such pract ces
impossible by either p trty.
Is IL not possible now to adjourn that in
termnabIe and inconciusiye debate viii
we take BY consent one step in the direc-
ton of reform by eliminating the .rrvman
der which has been denounced by all parties
as an influence in the election of electors of
president and mem bers of congress?
All the states nave. acting re " and sep
ar ,tely, determined that he cho ce of elect
ors by a general ticket is the wisest
and safest method, AMI it would seem
there coul be no objection to a constitu-
tionaI amendment making that method
permanent. II a legislature chosen in one
year up II purely local questions should,
pending a presi lentil. contest, meet, re-
scind the law for choice upon a general
ticket, and provide for tn choice of elect
ors by the legislature, and this trick should
determine the result, it is not too mucl to
say that the public peace might be seriously
and widely Endangered
have alluded to the "gerrymander" as
aft citing the method of selecting electors Of
p esdent by congressi nal districts, but she
p imary intent and effect of this form of
political robbery h ave relation to the selrc-
tion of members of the house Of represen-
tativ-s. The power of co Igrsss is ample to
deal with tn S threatening and iutOlerable
abuse. The unfailng test Of sincerity in
elect on reform will, be found n a wiling
ness to conf T as to remedies and to put in o
force such N assures as will most effectu lily
preserve the right IF the p OpIe to free and
60 al representation.
An attempt was IN tde in last congress to
bring to bear the constitutional p IweE I
the general government for the correctiOl
of frauds ag nst the suffrage. 1t is impOr-
tant to know whether he opposition to such
measures is really vested in particu ar
featur supposed to be obie tionable or n
cludes any prop '-itiOn to We to the Gle
tioa avs of the United states Adequacy to
the correction of grave and acNnO wled sed
evils I must vet enter ain the hop that it
is ross ble to secure a calm, pItr. Otic con
sderatiOn OF such constitutional or statu
tory chang : as ma be necessary to secur
the choice of t Ie officers OF the government
to the people b. fair a7portiOlmelt and
free elections.
believe it would be pos ID to constitute
a commission. non partisan in its member
ship and composed of patriotic, wise md I
impart al men, t. whoma con iderat on o. |
the question If the evils conn cted W tn yur |
elect on system and methods might BE- com |
mitted with good prosp ct Of securing IN |
animity in some p an for removing or NIT % |
gatin those ev l.. The constitution would !
permit the selection of the commission e l
be vested in the supreme court If that nethIi I
would give the best guaranty OF Impair iSl |
itv.
While the policies of the gen, Il govern /
nent upon the tariff. upon the restoration |
OF our merchant Murine, upon the river and |
harbOr improve nts and O-her such mat !
tiers of grave and g, neral concern are liable 1
to be turn d tIis way or that By the results 4
Of nor, rrasefnnaT oil onH adu I