The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-05-11

On a division of States. upon any ques-
ton, therefore. the Democrats would carry
the vote by 80 to IL. or majority of IL.
HOW A PRESIDENT MAY BE ELECTED.
It is not ont of the range of the posi-
BILE that such q such q question may arise
in the next House. That question would
be the most important in the history Of this
country. 1t would be the question of the
next President of the United States. It
seems almost. certain that the politicians
in the Farmers Alliance will try to force
that organization to place o candidate for
the presidency in the field. Whom he may
be, nc one can guess. 1t is said that
Senator Leland Stanford, of California,
could get it. if he wanted il. In any event,
it Is among the possibilities that the deter
mination of the presidential question next
year may be left to Congress. which makes
interesting. if not important, the analysis
of the political complexion by States.
Should the House have the controlling
vote in the Presidential contest all the
States would meet on a common level and
the fifty thousand whites, blacks, half
breeds, mongrels, Chinese and Indians of
the Nevada mining oamD would be as
many millions of intelligent residents OF
the State of New York, and Mr. Bartine
would be as big a man as Mr.. Flower, as
the States would vote as States and not
individual members of the delegations. 80
big is the Democratic majority. even In the
unit vote by States. that they could elect
the President even If not a single Repub-
Ican was present. The constitution pro-
vides that there shall be present a quorum
consisting OF a member or members from
two-thirds of the states SO that with their
thirty States the Democrats could legitl-
mately elect the President without the at
tendance of . single Republican. The deep
interest which both the Democratic and
ann ~a.<r4 IL -
entree into the field OF national politics can
therefore be readily understood.
Still another feature presents itself In
case the Alliance throws the vote into the
house. There would then probably. be o
Democratic President n a Republican
Nice-president. For the same article of the
Constitution which makes the House elect
the President throws the election of the
vlce-president into the Senate. But here
there is a difference. In the first place. the
iist OF ellglbles for the vice-presidency IS
confined TO the W names having the high
est number of votes cast for them in the
Electoral College. instead of three, as is the
case In the President. Hence In the pres
lance Senators. and Mr.. HYDE, the 'Ipde-
crat" from South Dakota, would'be COM
PEELED TO vote for either the Democrat or
the Republican. Another important diff
ference rs that the unit rule for States does
not hold In the Senate. for the Constitution
provides that in e~lecting the Vice-presi-
dent the quorum for the purpose shall
consists of two-thirds Of the whole number
of Senators. and a majority of the whole
number OF senator's tnot Ststes) shall be
have q majority of six in the Senate now.
They would. therefore. elect their Vice
president. Here. too. the election would
be totally independents Of the size or i'm
da would out-vote New York, for the Re-
| publican candidate would get two votes