The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1892-10-19
THIS IS The LAW.
A VERY MONENTOUS QUESTION TO
BE CONSIDERED SERIOUSLY.


The Atlanta Constitution says ques-
ton arises in the national campaign in
Georgia this year which is has not been
necessary to entertain heretofore.
1t is the question of majority or plu-
rality in the election of state electors.
One out of every hundred voters in
Georgia perhaps, and certainly no more
than that, is familiar with the law in
this respect.
Tell almost any democrat in the state
that in order to elect their democratic
electors they must poll more votes than
the republicans and peoples party COM
binel, and his establishment and surprise
will be immeasurable.
And yet, that is the law in plain and
undressed words.
TO elect democratic electors in the
November election will be to whip the
republicans and third party forces count
ed as one, and this is the question that
should arouse every democrat in Geor-
gia. If it took but plurality of votes,
that is to say, more votes than either OF
the other two parties singly, it would be
a matter of inconslderable significance.
The law on this as laid down in the
code is very plain. After stating in sec
ton 1911 the date of election of presi-
Dental electors the text of the code in
section / ,312 is as follows:
Sec. 1912. Governor to consolidate re-
turns and notify persOns.-On the TWEEN
tieth day after SAID election shall have
taken place, it is the duty of the governor
to consolidate the several returns and
Immediately notify those persons Of their
election who have received vote
amounting to a majority and to require
their attendance at the capitol on the
last Monday before the first Wednesday
in December thereafter, to cast the vote
of the state on the Wednesday following
at u o'clock m.
SO greatly taken by surprise will many
voters of Georgia be at learning this that
they will say on the first reading that
there must be some mistake; that ma
iOrity here means more than any other
electors received in the election.
But, that is not the Interpretation, nor
the meaning of the law. Ii, in an cleo
ton, 100, 900 votes we've pOlled, and out
of the whole the democrats should get
80, 900, third party 40, 600 and republicans
10000, the democrats would not at all be
elected. Neither ticket in this case
would be elected and the matter of cast
ing the states vote in the electoral col
Iese would fall to the state legislature.
The Law in Such Cases.
Following the section OF the code just
quoted the law goes further to provide
for just such instances as that just men
toned where no majority results in the
election. Here is the next section:
sec. 1913. Vacancies, how Filled.-In
the event all, or majority of said cleo
tors may not have received majority,
the Governor shall communicate the fact
to the general assembly, if in session,
and if not he shall issue his prCclama-
ton converting them in time to ecure
the vot of the state in the electoral col
lege. The general assembly shall, by
Joint ballot, elect as many electors as
have not received said majority. If a
majority of electors have been chosen by
the people, they may fill the remaining
vacancies themselves by ballot, which
election shall be communicated to the
Governor, If, when the electors elected
by the people or the general assembly,
or some by each, convene at the capitol,
any of their number may not be present
at the time specified for counting the
vote, a majority of the electors may fill
the vacancies, which shall be duly com
municated to the governor.
This makes it safe for the democrats
in Georgia, of course, for the state legis-
lature is thoroughly democratic, but it
at the same time serves the warning to
democrats in Georgia that if they desire
to hold their democratic majority in che
state up to the handsome standard by
which it has been measured in the eyes
of the country for years and years, they
must be up and doing.