The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-07-05

ELECTION POSSIBILITIES.

ELECTION POSSIBILITIES.
What would happen were the presi-
dental election this year thrown into
the house OF representatives as a result
or the formidable third party movement
upon which the eyes Of the country are
now turned? This is a question fire.
Quently asked and not always answered
accurately. By many persons it is as
sumed that the choice would be between
Cleveland and Harrison, with long odds
ia favor OK tho former. This would be
the result were the choice made under
article IT,, section ! of tho constitution
~ it was in the year 1901, when Thomas
Jefferson wa elected over Aaron Burr.
That interesting contest has recently
been revived in the minds Of many by
the prospect OF no election by the people
this year. It will be remembered that Jef-
ferson received seventy-three electoral
votes, Burr seventy-three, Adams sixty
five, Pinckney sixty-four, and Jay one.
Consequently the house Of representa-
tives was called upon to choose a presi-
dent. The house was governed by the
article OF the constitution referred to
above, which provides: "The person
having the greatest number of votes
shall be the president, if such number
be d majority of the whole number OF
electors appointed, and if there be more
than one who have such majority
and have an equal number Of votes, then
the house OF representatives shall i'm
mediately choose one of them for presi-
dent" This provision barred Adams,
Pinckney and Jay from the contest, and
limited the house to a choice between
Jefferson and Burr. 1t brought about
q curious result which showed the alb
surdity Of the constitutional provision
in question. The house contained a
federalist majority. Adams or Pinckney
would have been its choice, yet it was
obliged to elect between Jefferson and
Burr, both opposition candidates Of the
same political faith. Much as the fed
e~ralists disliked Jefferson, they had to
choose between him and the more
odious Burr. Jefferson, therefore, be-
came president by vote of the federalist
house.
That experience led two years later to
the twelfth amendment to the constltu-
ton, which provides that in case no can
didate has a majority of the whole num-
Der Of electors, "'Then from the persons
having the highest number, not exceed
ing three, on the list OF those voted for
as president, the. house of representa-
tives shall choose Immediately by ballot
the president"
It will be under this amendment that
the election will be decided should there
be no majority in the electoral college
for any candidate in 1892. We should
then have as the candidates to be voted
for in the house Cleveland, Harrison
and the nominee of either the peoples
party or the prohibitionists. Undoubt-
eddy the peoples party would be third
in the list. Those advocates of free
silver coinage who are ready to go to
the length of boiling from the old par
ties and joining the peoples movement,
in the hope of securing the end they de-
sire, are figuring on the possibility of
electing a free coinage man in case the
contest is decided in congress. Let US
see what ground there is for this hope.
In an election by the house it should be
remembered that each state has one
vote, which is cast in accordance with
the will Of the majority of the repre-
sentatives from that state. In the
present house Of representatives
the democrats are in q majority in
thirty-one states, the republicans in
eleven states and the farmers alliance
in two states. Twenty-three votes
would be required to elect the presi-
dent.
But would all the states having q
democratic representation in congress
vote for Grover Cleveland il the third
party man happened to be a good free
coinage democrat? That is an inter.
esting question, OF course, Benjamin
Harrison would not be a possibility in
such n contest. His name might as
we'll be eliminated at the start. The
vote would lie between Cleveland and
~ pSopAc puLpy ChDulutGt. ClGVS.
land would get the votes of the follow
ing states beyond question, as their del.
egations in congress are controlled by
Rnti-free coinage democrats: Connect
cut. Delaware, Maryland, Massachu-
sstts, Minnesota, New Hampshire
New Jersey, New York, Ohio
Rhode Island and Wisconsin -
eleven in all. These are all the votel
Mr.. Cleveland could really count upol
we're the house to divide sharply ON tn
line OF free silver. With Harrison GU
OF tho way republican Maine, Pennsyl
vania, Vermont and Washington nigh
give Cleveland their vote as against
FREQ coinage man; that would bring MI
Cleveland's vote up to fifteen, or eigh
short Of the required majority OF states