The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-10-24
TEE LATEST DEMOCRATIC SCHEME.

1t is stated on apparently good author
ity that the leaders of the Democratic
party in this State are discussing the
advisability of changing the method of
choosing presidential electors, and that
II the electoral vote of the State is given
to Harrison and Reid the next Legisla-
ture, if Democratic. will be urged to
make the proposed change. The dis
cussion has been started by the recent
decision OF the United States Supreme
Court affirming the constitutionality of
the Miner law. in Michigan, and the
proposition is to adopt the district
method of choosing electors in this State.
There is no question as to the right of
the Legislature to fix the manner of ap
pointing or electing presidential electors.
Unfortunately the Constitution of the
United States does not prescribe the
method nor say that it shall be uniform
in all the States. This leaves the door
open for political Juggling in the mat
ter. The Miner law was passed in
Michigan in order to enable tho Demo-
Gratis to steal few electoral votes
which they could not obtain in any
other way. If similar law is passed
in this State it will be for the Same pur-
pose.
An unanswerable objection to the dis
trict system of choosing electors is that
it offers distinct and powerful induce
ment for gerry Wandering the State.
That inducement is already strong
enough in the opportunity it offers to
manipulate and control the congress
sional delegation, but it would be in
finitely stronger il it also furnished a
means of controlling the Electoral Col
lege and capturing the presidency. 1t
is to that object that the eyes of the
Democratic managers are now turning.
If the electoral vote of Indiana shall
be cast this year for the Republican
candidates, as the Journal firmly be-
lieves will be the case, twill mean that
this is Republican State. The Demo-
Gratis have been asserting for years past
that the Republicans never carried the
State except by bribery and fraud. OF
course, there liz not word of truth in
this, but if the Republicans carry the
State this year, under the Australian
control of the political machinery in a
large majority of the precincts In the
State, 1t will show that the State.is hon.
estly and truly Republican. This is the
contingency that the Democratic lead
ers are considering. If they cannot
carry the State this year they know they
cannot expect to carry it in any future
presidential election under the present
method of choosing electors. That be-
ing the case. they are contemplating the
adoption of scheme by which they can
still hold few electoral votes.
We have already said that the district
system of choosing electors is a power
full inducement for gerrymandering. In
this State the gerrymander itself is also
au inducement for adopting the system,
for the plan that is now being favorably
discussed by the Democratic leaders
contemplates Democratic Legislature.
This they hope to get through the exist
ing gerrymander, even IL the State goes
for Harrison and Reid. In other words,
they are depending on the present ger
rymander to enable them to carry the
Legislature against a Republican ma
jority, and enable them to adopt the
district system of choosing presidential
electors whereby they may prevent the
State from being securely anchored in
the Republican column.
The Scheme is eminently characteristic
of the Democratic party, and it furnishes
an additional incentive why the people
should rise in their might and smash the
Rerrymander. They have already suf-
fered enough on account of it. The
State debt, the onerous interest account,
the burdensome tax law and many other
iniquities of State government are due
to the security which the Democratic
party has felt behind the gerrymander.
Now it is proposed to utilize and extend
it in the adoption of plan to revolu-
tionize the mode of choosing presiden-
tial electors. The way to prevent this is
to elect Republican Legislature.