The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-28
HOW A PRESIDENT is MADE.
Routine of Proceedings After the Bal
lots Are Cast.

Kansas City Journal.
Despite our boasted education people.
and in curious contrast to the tremendous
interest we take in elections. 1t is doubt
full If one voter out of ten can accurately
describe the process by which President
and Vice President are made
on the first Tuesday after the first Mon
day in November of presidential years. the
next step is the meeting or t3ese t electors r
ond Monday in January following the cleo
ton. An act of Congress requires the eiec-
tors of all the States to meet on the same
his ballot for President and vice Presi-
dent. He is at perfect liberty 10 vote LOT
whomsoever he chooses. but In testimony
to the high sense of honor which pervades
the American people 1t may be salo tnat
since the formation of the goVerhueiiil 40
elector has failed to vote Tor Ihe csHuluaos
for whom he was elected. After the votes
have been cast they are sealed up ana en-
trusted to one of the electors, VINO - ues ssd
by him are conveyed to Washington and
delivered over. These sealed oaliots al e
directed to the President of the Senate, VINO
opens them in presence OF the ROUSE anu tha
Senate on the second "Wednesday OF the
following February, this joint session pc
ing required by law. If 1t Is founo tnat any
candidate for President has received ma
jority of the entire electoral vote ne 10
formally declared elected, ana the saliie en -
true of the Vice President: but II no one
has received a majority for either Oh these
offices the joint session dissolves ana the
House proceeds TO eject d Il icoiNSii@ eNiiN
the Senate a Vice President.
In voting for President the House IS re-
stricted to the three men who received ne
highest votes in the Electoral college,. IN
the House each State is entitled 10 oile
vote. How this vote shall be cast Is de-
termined by a majority OF the Soh siess
men from each State. 1t makes no ul1fer-
ence how the State may nave voted upon
electors a majority of the congressman
NAV determine how it shall vote when the
presidential election is thrown into the
House. To elect, majority OF Ine entire
number of States is required. Inc same
process is had in the Senate. with the eA,
ception that each Senator has a. vote anu
only the two highest voted for in the EIec-
toral College may be selected from In case
the House should get into q deaolock
which lasted beyond the 4th of the foiloW-
ing March, the Vice President chosen by
chair ON that date, thus doing away with
the rule so prevalent In political a1alrs
that an officer holds until his successor is
elected and qualified The old President
must step out, whatever may be the 1ate
of his presumed successor.
The Constitution did not seem to PROVIDE
the means of presidential succession Whlcn
might be demanded under certain emergen-
passed a bill fixing this succession as fol-
lows. after reciting the death, Resignation
or disability of both the President and vice
President: Secretary of State, Secretary OF
the Treasury, Secretary OF war, Attorneys
general, stmaster-general, Secretary Of
the Navy and Secretary of the INTERIOR II
is provided, however, that before either OF
these may assume the presidency he must
first have been recognized by the senate
as a Cabinet officer and possess in himself
the constitutional requirement OF a ~Presi-
dent.
The dates on which the three great steps
are taken In making a President this time
are as follows: Election, Nov. 3; electors
meet Ian. II. Congress counts vote FeD. III.