The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-12-17
PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTA-
TON APPLIED TO THE ELEC-
TORAL COLLEGE.
CORRESPONDENCE of the Progressive Farmer
GARDNERvILLE, n. Q.

presidential electors, it is possible for
a political party having ffty-one per
cent. of the voters of the United States
to elect every presidential elector to
which all the the States are entitled in
the electoral college, if the voters of
said party are rightly situated geo
graphically. And, of course, at the
same time, the opposite party or par,
ties having in the aggregate four per
cent. of the voters will fail to elect a
single presidential ~elector, just because
they are u~nfavorably situated geo,
grphically.
Such a statement may not at first
be credited, but such is the case as l
will presently demonstrate to the salts
faction of my readers. If, in North
Carolina, the Democrats should in 1896
muster up to fifty one per cent. of the
popular votes of said State, then they
would elect the eleven electors to which
the State is entitled, while opposing
parties would get none of the electors.
And If like results were to happen in
every State in the Union, the Demo
Gratis with fifty one per cent. of the
popular vote of the entire nation would
secure every electoral vote in the
nation, and all other parties with
forty nine per cent of the popular vote
of the entire nation would fail to elect
a single presidential elector.
While no presidential candidate yer
received the full benefits of such an un
just method, or aver was so unfortu
nate az to feel the full injustice of it,
yet it has often reversed the decision
of the people, and gave the presidency
to many a man who fell short of re
ceiving a majority of the popular
vote.
John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jack
son, Abraham Lincoln and r. B
Hayes were all overwhelmingly beaten
by the people, but yet the injustice of
the electoral system gave the presi-
dency to them. Lincoln lacked the
tremendous number of nearly 1000, 600
votes of getting a majority of the pop
ular vote.
Such a method should be changed by
an amendment to the Federal consti
tuition, providing either for the cleo
ton of the President by the popular
vote and the abolition of the electoral
system, or a change in the electoral
system, which will give to every par
ty electoral votes in proportion to the
numerical strength of each party.
The only objection to continuing the
electoral system is that some elector
might cast his vote after he was elected
contrary to the way he vas pledged.
But be it said to the credit of the men
who have served the people in such a
capacity, that not one since the organ
ization of the government until now
has ever betrayed his trust in such a
way. So l see very little that is Objec-
tionable to the continuance of the elec
toral 81 stem if it can be 30 fixed as to
vouchsafe to each and every party in
the nation a number of electoral votes
in proportion to the number of popu-
lar votes of each of the parties. If q
party receives seventy five per cent.
of ali the votes cast at a Presidential
election, it should have seventy five
per cent. of the electoral votes; if it
receive fifty per cent. of the popular
vote, it should have fifty per cent. of
the electoral vote; if it receive only
ten per cent. of the popular vote, it
should have ten per cent. of the cleo
toral vote. Yes, if it received only one
per cent. of the popular vote, it should
have one per cent of the electoral
votes.
But some n may ask, how shall
such a result be brought about9 TIE
answer is apply the principle of pro
portional representation to the relec.
ton of Presidential electors. If, in
1896, the Democrats receive five elev
enths Of the popular vote of North
Carolina, they should have five of the
eleven electors to which North Caro-
lima is entitled, giving them the first
five names on their electoral ticket.
The last six names on their ticket,
know ing before the election the
strength of the party would only re
ceive the nomination as a compliment
and not with the hopes of being elected.
Then if the Republicans should receive
tW~o-elevenths of the popular vote, the
two men whose names stood first on
their ticket should be declared elected.
And if the Populists should receive
three elevents of the popular vote; the