Los Angeles herald., 1892-02-13
THE MICHIGAN ELECroRAL PLAN.

ABOUT the recent departure OF tne sLate
of Michigan in her plan to choose presi-
Dental electors on the district principle.
The constitution OF the United States
directs that electors to the electoral col
lege to choose president shall be
electedin the states in such manner as
the legislatures of the respective states
shall provide. The Michigan legislature
passed law to choose one presidential
elector in each congressional district
and two at large. 1t seems to be con-
secure at least four Democratic electors
and perhaps six in Michigan at the next
presidential election.
A writer in the February number of
the Arena, taking Mr.. Harrison's at
tack upon this method of choosing cleo
tors as his text, proceeds to very pes
simistic view OF the Michigan plan, and
tries to show that if it is persisted in
and initiated by other close states, it
may result in danger to the republic.
He arranges several tables of possible
electoral returns in which the four votes
of Michigan would elect Democratic
president, and argues from these presen-
tations that such result occurring
would eventuate in widespread discon-
tent, serious ill-feeling, and perhaps q
state of affairs that might prove very
alarming.
1t is very strange that there is always
kind Of people who are quick to see
great danger ahead whenever there
is likelihood that Democratic presi-
dent may be elected. These people are
prompt to sound the alarm, and they
invariably lay the basis of their fore
bodings upon the assumption that the
Democratic party is warping the consti-
tuition to its own advantage, or else en-
tering into dark conspiracies to take the
government away from the Republicans
AS if the Republican party had the
divine and indefeasible right to rule this
country, which we have no doubt many
of them have come to make themselves
firmly believe.
Well, suppose that the elections
were to so shape themselves that a
Democratic president should be elected
by the four votes of Michigan, what
then? Is not that state entitled, un-
der the constitution of the United
States to say how she shall choose
her electors? That must be granted,
and therefore her electors would
have the same rights in the cleo
toral college as the electors of any other
state. If through their votes Demo-
cratic president were elected, he would
be the constitutional president OF the
United States, just as much so as would
; Republican who had carried the
thlrty-six decisive electoral votes OF
New York by an ascertained ma
jority of one vote cast at the
polls. That is the law and the constitu-
tion of the case. What do these calam-
ity-writers want to prepare the public
mind for? Is it their intention to raise
popular prejudice against constitu-
tionally elected president simply because
one or more states had seen fit to exer-
else their right to change their mode OF
choosing electors? The pitiful plants OF
these people-even if they are gener-
allied by Mr.. Harrison in their lachry-
NOSE exhibitions-w receive no
response of sympathy from the people
OF the United States.
The writer we have quoted fears that
the Michigan departure viii be followed
by other states, and whilst it might be
to the advantage of the Democratic
~, sr,o ha ,,,lvo = hot
this advantage would be recouped by
the Repu ublicans in other states. All
right. No one has any objection to in
| terpose against the Republicans Michi-
ganizing all the states where they can
{ 7 introduce the new method successfully
1t is the constitutional right of the
, states to elect their presidential electors
in any proper way they please. They
can provide for choosing the electors by
the cumulative plan if they see fit, OIL
they may adopt the congressional dis
trict or any other subdivision plan.
We are very much impressed with the
belief that the Michigan plan is in the
direction of bringing the election of the
president nearer to the people than the
one that has prevailed. Certainly, when
the people of congressional district
can choose their elector by the vote o
the district, the man they choose goes
more directly and Immediately out from
their midst than if he was elected by
the whole state. And why should large
sections of state not have the right to
bring their political views directly tc
bear upon the election of president?
There is great deal of brutal over
slaughing of public sentiment in the
election of president by the present
plan, and the Michigan mode enables
the voters to more effectively give voice
to their views than is possible under the
prevailing system. Michigan has taken
the lead in what may grow into power
full movement.