Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-12-01

what has been requested 10 fIrn-
ish such Information ut least
once, some ~ them several umes.
One cause, perhaps, is the fact that
those vino essay the task Of answering
do not always take the trouble Of look
ing up the points concerning which
information is desired, ADD thus the
questioner, sooner or later, finds that
he is iu possession OF instruction which
does not instruct. The Ogden Standard,
Of wednesday, contained a response to
question oil tho kind spoken OF, con-
sisting Of an extract from Johnson's
epi,ome Of the constitutional anu legal
provisions upon the subject, Of which
the following IL q part:
Tho Consultation ortlains tina, the cleo.
tors shall NEE. Ia their respective states
on tho first Wednesday la December. and
vote by ballot for President nud Vics-
President, ono Of whom at least shall not
be an inlabitaut OF the Same state with
themselves; and they shall make distinct
list. OF all persons voted for as Presl-
dent, ETC., and OF tho number OF votos
for zach, which lists they shall sign
and certify and transmit sealed n tho
scat OF government Of tho United
States, directed TO tho president OF tho
senate. Tho electors OF all tho states
constitute tho electoral college. A ma
iority OF tho whole number OF electoral
votes IL necessary 10 elect the President
and Vice. President. Thay Eisos a. tho
capitals OF their respective s'atos. The
electoral votes arc opened and counted ON
81 Ns.N.a Ntss
both houses OF Congress, which most ia
the chamber OF tho Representatives. In
tho actual mode Of performing their duty
the electors do not exercise any judgment
or discretionary power In tao choice OF
President and Nice-Pfesident, but cast
their votes for tho candidate. pre-.
viously nominated by their party,
usually In a national convention.
II tho Standard writer had relied
upon his own mind and ability to
answer, instead OF trusting implicitly
to other authority, he would not have
been guilty Of the blunders which are
thus given 70 u confiding reader In the
guisc Of information. The first state
mont In the extract Is untrue, as the
Constitution does nothing OF tho kind;
1t mentions no time when the electors
shall meet, leaving that TO the law.
making power, which has provided
that the electors shall meet at the time
stated. The second sentence states but
q small partof the case, In that It fails
to show that the certificates are made
outin triplioate and does not show by
what means they reach the seat OF gov.
eminent; one sct II sent to the President
OF the Senate by mai, another set goes
to him by n special messenger chosen
by tho electors, and the third IL filed
In tho United States court for the
district In which the election
has been held. The statement
that The electors meet ut the
capitals Of their respective states
10 not necessarily correct, the
Constitution providing that they meet
ut such place as the legislature may
direct; and the assertion that the cleo.
tors exercise no Judgment or discretion.
ary power but vote for tho candidates
Of their party previously nominated, Ia
misleading at least. whe electors are
not compelled by any law Except party
fcalty) to vote for anybody who may be
nominated; they arc presumed 10 DO
utterly unbiased In their action and In
their united judgment to select such
men M are presumably Httest. The fact
hat hA. hau 81
caslon OF late years voted for the
men previously nominated by the
national convention Of their party
does not show that they are bound
to do so by any means; and tho impli.
cation that they act like 30 many mar
ionet.es, simply registering the will of
their party, has a tendency to deprive
the exalted station OF presidential
eiector OF its importance and dignity
and to make OF the solemn not OF vot-
ing simply the enacting OF role In a
not very serious drama. Il conveys n
wrong impression and Is therefore not
information at all.
The News recently published
lengthy article In response to ques.
ton on this subject, basing 1 Is reply ON
little book issued at home and writ
ten by resident OF Utah, entitled
"rhe Practical Politician" The fes-
lures OF that reply will DO found to DO
correct In every Instance, as does not
appear to be the case ut all times with
those which come from abroad.