The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-23
WILL MAKE NO DIFFERENCE
WHETHER ELECTORS ARE ELECT
ED By THE PEOPLE on THE
LEGISLATURES.

Democrats viii BE Successful In
Either Case. IN the Opinion Of the
Leaders-They Feel Certain Of "a
Large Majority for the Ticket. hut
If PIutocrats, PopocrHts and Pub
Iicans should All Get Enough
Votes TO Prevent a Majority for
the Democratic Ticket the LeEis-
Iature VIII BE DemOcrntic-The
Old Law Placing the Election OF
Electors in the Hands Of the Leg
isIature in such "A Contingency
Was Adopted in 1861 or Before
and Has Never Been Called Into
RequisitiOn.
The fact that the democratic ticket will
have to secure majority Of an the votes
cast in this state in the coming election
in order TO elect its electors has not Gre
ated any depression in the minds Of the
democratic leaders here.
The democratic ticket has always secur-
ed majority in this state and they are
satisfied that the result will be the same
in this election. Should the election of
electors be thrown into the general assem-
bly,, as would be the case should the cleo
tors not receive a majority Of the vote,
it would not matter, they say. as the legis-
lature is certain to be democratic beyond
peradventure.
Experience has demonstrated that it IS
even more difficult for the rival parties TO
get footing in the legislature than it is
for them TO make a respectable showing in
the total vote. There are l37 counties in
the state and a senatorial districts
and large majority of both can be count
ed on as safely democratic. IL is doubt
ful If the gold democrats viii put out an
electoral ticket, and If they should it is
generally conceded that the ticket viii Sc
cure small vote. The republican cleo
toral ticket is regarded as merely nominal.
having been put out by the state central
committee without the fOrmality of a
convention.
THE fight will be almost entirely tc>
tween the populists and the democrats.
said one close observer. IF the populists
are beaten in the state election in &c.
tober, as they surely will be, they win
not make much Of an effort for their
electoral ticket, and the democrats win
practically have a walk-over. The ma
jority will be one of the largest ever Sc
cured in this state"
Congressman Lester and Hon. W. W.
Osborne expressed themselves on this
line.
1t makes no difference whether the
democratic electors receive a majority or
not" said Col. Lester. If the matter
goes before the legislature the democratic
electors will be elected just the same"
The law IS undoubtedly unique. 1t is
an old law and the fact that there has
never been any necessity TO put it into
operation had caused it to be almost for,
gotten.
Col Lester looked through the several
codes yesterday for the beneft Of the
Morning News and found that the law
appeared as far back as 1861. and he
thought IT likely that it was adopted by
the confederate legislature OF that year.
In the confederate code the term OF the
President and Vice President is stated at
six years. This was amended to four
years in the subsequent codes
The law is embraced in sections 1871 TO
1917, inclusive, of the code Of 1852
Sec. 1871, provides for an election for
electors of President and Vice President
on Tuesday after the first Monday in No
vember.
Sec. 1912 provides that on the 10Th day af-
ter said election it shall be the duty of the
governor TO consolidate the several re-
turns and Immediately notify those persons
OF their election, who have received a vote
amounting to a majority. and to require
their attendance at the capitol on the last
December thereafter to cast the vote of
the state on the Wednesday following, at
u o'clock m
Sec. 1913 provides for the filling of va
cancies Ii reads as follows
In the event all, or a majority of said
electors may not have received a major
ity, the governor shall communicate the
fact to the general assembly, If in session,
and if not. he shall issue his proclama-
ton converting them in time to
secure the vote Of the state in
the electoral college. 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 communi-
Gated TO the governor. If, when the cleo
tors elected by the people, or by the gen.
eral assembly, or some by each, convenes
at the capitol. any of their number may
not be present at the time specified for
counting the vote, majority Of the cleo
ted may fill all vacancies, which shall be
duly communicated to the governor.
Section 1914 provides that If a majority
of the electors fail to attend at the time
specified, from providenual cause, those
who do attend may adjourn from day to
day for ten days. and if a majority is not
present at the expiration OF that time.
the governor shall convene the general as
sembly on ten days notice, who shall fill
the vacancies by election.
The other three sections provide for the
choosing of a president and secretary by
the electors, choosing a messenger to
convey the vote to Washington, and for
the pay and mileage OF electors.
RACLTNC TuE,TR rTncNr1NT