Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-12-09

their electors by popular vote
upon general ticket and for
nearly thirty years this method was
universal. After full test Of other
methods, without important division or
dissent In any State, and without any
purpose Of party advantage, as we must
believe, but solely upon the considera.
tons that uniformity was desirable, and
that general election In territorial
divisions, not subject % change. was
most consistent with the popular char.
acter Of Our institutions, best preserved
the equality Of the voters, and efieciual-
ly removed the choice Of president from
the banciul influence OF the gerry.
mander." 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 suggest whether the States that
still give their approval TO the old and
prevailing method ought not To secure,
by constitutional amendment. a 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 districts, and the two
| NNHhNkA tANHANAh y NNhhNAAH NAAaN'h
for the purpose. The legislation vas,
Of course, accompanied BY new con.
| gressional appointment, aud the two
statutes being the electoral vote Of The
State under the influence Of Gerry.
mander"
THESE oERRyNASpERs
for congressional purposes are In most
cases buttfossed by a gerfymanier Of
the legislative districts, thus making II
| impossible for a majority Of the legal
voters Of the State 10 correct the appor.
tionment and equalige the congressional
districts. A minority rule Is established
that only a political CONFUSION can
overthrow. ! have recently been adj
viscd that in one county Of certain
/ State three districts for the election of
members Of the legislature are constitute.
ed as follows. One has 6S,ouo popu-
/ laiion; one 1900, and one 10 ooo
while in another county detached non.
contiguous sections have been united to
make q legislative district Those
methods have already found effective
| application 10 the choice OF senators and
representatives. In congress, and now,
an evil start has been made IN the III.
reciion Of applying them to the choice
by the States OF electors Of president
and vice president II this Is accom-
plished We shall then have three great
departments Of the government In the
grasp Of the gerfymandef. the legisla.
tive and executive directly and the
judiciary indirectly, through the power
OF appointment An election implies
any body Of electors having prescribed
qualifications each one OF which has an
equal value and influence In datermin.
ing the result. So when the Cons,l,u.
ton provides that each State shall
appoint" elect in such manner as the
legislature thereof may direct, mum
Der Of electors, etc, rud un.
restricted power was not given
to the legislatures In the selection Of the
methods TO be used. a republican
form Of government is guaranteed by
the Constitution 10 each State, aud the
power given by the same instrument TO
the legislatures OF The States to prescribe
methods for the choice. by the State. OF
electors, must be exercised under that
Limitation. The essential features Of
such government are the right Of the
people to choose their own officers, and
the neares, practicable equality OF value
IN the snlifages given IN determining
ANhh 'NRAA's - VIII NV bI AilhN
the power given to the legislature would
support them. providing that the per.
sons receiving the smallest cote should
be the electoral OF law that al electors
should be chosen by the voters OF a
single congressional district. The voters
are to choose, and under the prctense
OF regulating methods, the legislature
can neither vest the right OF choice else.
where nor adopt methods not conform.
able TO republican institutions. 1t Is
not my purpose, however, TO discuss the
question whether choice by the legisla-
turc or by the voters OF equal single
districts Is choice by the state, but
only to recommend such regulation Of
this matter by Constitutional amend.
mcnt as viii secure uniformity and pre-
vent that disgracelul partisan juggiery
TO such liberty Of choice, II Il exists,
as oilers a temptation,
Nothing Just now Is more important
than TO provide every guaranty Tor the
absolutely fair aud free choice by an
equal suffrage with the respective States
OF all the officers 10 the national govern.
meni, whether that suffrage Is applied
directly. as Ia tina choice OF members
Of the House OF Representatives, or in
directly, rs IN the choice OF members OF
the Senate, and electors OF the presi-
dent.
Respect for public officers and obedi.
ence to law will not cease TO be the
CHARACTERISTIC OF OUR PEOPLE
until our elections cease to declare the
will Of the majoriiies fairly ascer.
iaind, without fraud, suppression or
'gerrymander." Ii | were called upon
10 declare wherein
OUR CHIP NATIONAL DANGER
lies, should say without hesitation In
the overthrow OF the majority control by
the suppression pervcTsion of the
popular suffrage. That there Is real
danger here all must agree, but the
energies OF those who see II have
been chiefly expended in try.
ing to fix responsibility upon
the opposite party rather than Ia OF.
forts TO make such practices impossible
by either party.
II Is not possible now TO adjourn that
intetminable and inconclusive debate,
until we take by consent, one step Ia
the direction OF reform by eliminating
the gerrymander which has been de.
n0uuced by all parties as an influence
Ia the election of electors OF the pfesl.
dent and members OF Congress. All
the States have been acting freely and
separately, determined that the
choice Of electors by q gen.
oral ticket IL tho wisest and
safest method anu II would seem
that there could be no objection Ia n