The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-02-01
Electoral Defects.


peared as dangerous defects in our
present electoral system; in the Forum
for February he outlines his remedy.
The principal danger remarked by him
was one which might at any time arise
from a situation like that presented
in the Ifayes-Tlden controversy of
1876; in the reluctance of a majority
of the popular vote to accept a minor
ity's choice for president, notwith-
standing that the latter might have
majority in the electoral college. 1t
has twice happened since 1856 that the
choice of the electoral college was not
the prima facie choice of the people.
In 1876 the popular vote gave Tilden an
apparent plurality of 25l655 and in
1883, although Harrison was seated,
Cleveland had 94,4S3 more votes than
he. Mr.. Carlisle fears that this possi-
bility of "A discrepancy between the
popular and the electoral vote may, il
continued, sometime result in trouble.
He also objects to the present system
because there is no requirement of uni
formity among the states in the choice
of presidential electors; one state
might choose them all at large; an
other, partly by congress districts and
partly at large; and a third, by it's
legislature. thus opening the door to
serious inequality Of representation and
&c confusion.
These dangers are largely fanciful
and more to be deplored in theory than
to be feared in fact; but at the same
time it is worth our time TO give heed
to Mr.. Carlisle's remedy. "a constitu-
tional amendment, providing simply
that the president and the vice presi-
dent shall be chosen Ivy the people of
the several states, voting by ballot, on
a day fixed by congress, which shall
be the same throughout the United
States; that the electors in each state
shall have the qualifications required
for electors of the most numerous
branch of the state legislature; that
each state shall be entitled to a num-
ber of votes-to be called presidential,
| or electoral, votes--aqual to the num-
Der of it's senators and representatives
in congress; and that in ascertaining
the result of the election, each person
voted for shall be entitled to have
counted in his favor a number of the
presidential, or electoral, votes of each
state, corresponding to the proportion
of the popular vote received by him in
such state;-this," he afiirms. "would
not only secure uniformity and equal
Iity, but would greatly simplify the pro-
Ceedngs. and avoid nearly all the dan
gers incident to the existing system"
This" he continues, ''is the honest
| Democratic, and American method of
ascertaining the choice of the people.
Every argument against it is neces-
sarily an argument against the right,
| or capacity, of the people to govern
| themselves; for, if they have not the
| right, or are not competent, to choose
| the official who executes the laws, they
cannot have the right, or the capacity,
TO choose those who make them. If it
could be shown that any great public
interest would be endangered by a di-
rect popular vote, it might be better
to submit to continuance of the evils
| to which we are now exposed than to
make change; but it will scarcely be
contended by anyone who has careful
| ly examined the subject that our in
situations will be made less secure, or
that any substantial interest will be
! imperilled, by simplifying the process
of government or the methods of choos-
| ing important public officials"
The argument is interesting; but it
is open TO doubt if the remedy would
| be wholly effective. Certainly it needs
amendment in respect of basing the
number of electors on the number Of
representatives in congress; or rath-
er. the basis of congressional repre-
sentation needs TO be altered to fit the
emergency presented in states like Ar
| kansas, Louisiana and Mississippi
which use the negro in population es-
| Inmates 50 as to gain a big showing in
congress, and then pass laws which
have the effect to prevent the negro
from participating in elections. Con-
gressmen and electors ought both to be
allotted on the basis Of the qualified
| vote cast.