The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-11-11
ELECTORS TO MEET
HERE ON DEC, 9TH
The Governor to Issue His
Proclamation.
A MEETING IN JANUARY
The Meeting in December is Both USE
less and Costly.
THE VOTE WILL Be CAST IN JANUARY
A Silly Section Copied From the fusion Elec
ton Law That Ought to be Repealed.
"Gin'al Jackson" Can't be
Discussed This Time.

The Fusion Legislature of 1895 dis
played lamentable ignorance of the laws
in regard TO the election of President
and Vice President. This ignorance cost
the State exactly $36S40 The Demo-
cratic, Legislature of 1897 copied the dis
play and the copy will now come about
as high as the original.
The Fusionists put the following pro-
visions in their election law, and the
Democrats have copied it into theirs:
THE Governor shall issue his
published, wherein he shall set
forth the names of the persons duly
elected as electors and warn each of
them to attend at the capitol in the city
of Raleigh at neon on the Tuesday pre-
ceding the first Wednesday in December
after his election, at which time the
electors shall meet.
That the persons elected and APP
pointed as electors of the President and
Vice President of the United States shall
assemble on the said first Monday in
December at the capitol in the city of
Raleigh. and then and there give their
votes on behalf of the State of North
Carolina for President and Vice Presi-
in relation thereto in all things con-
formally to the Constitution of the
United States and the Act of Congress
in that behalf. "-Chapter 507, secs. SO
and 81, Laws of 1899.
&c No nv or q m
ing of the electors at that time. In fact,
such a meeting is a costly piece OF tollsi
and the man who put this provision in
the law was following the law of twenty
years ago, totally oblivious of the fact
that as far back as 1887 Congress had
changed the time of meeting to the see
ond Monday in January, and that is now
the law Had the author of the election
law consulted the Supplement TO the
Revised Statutes of the United States
he would nave found that, by an act rat
lied ON February 3, 1887, Congress fixed
the second Monday in January following
their appointment as the day for the
meeting of the electors of President and
Vice President "at such place in each
State as the Legislature Of such State
may direct"
seem, and now the electors in this State
must meet twice-on the first Tuesday
in December to comply with the State
law, and on the second Monday in Janu-
airy. 10 comply with the National law.
On the last named day the electors meet
in all the other States.
The meeting in December, four years
ago, was a rich farce comedy. The elect
II
promptly at the time named. The Doctor
was absent; nobody knew why, but the
concensus of opinion seemed to be that
he was making the trip from his noun
tain home on his famous mule Gin al
Jackson" AS there was a snow storm
raging, it was believed that the "Gin'al''
and the Doctor had been delayed, and SO
the electors, after choosing a chairman
and a secretary, adjourned till next day.
Next day brought no York and no mule
nor any news of them. This was so I'M
like the Doctor and 'tGin'al Jackson" that
the other electors began TO discuss The
probability of the missing elector being
permanently lost in the snow storm, and
the advisablity OF appointing some one in
his place. Before this was done, how
ever. a telegram came saying the Doctor
was sick and the Gina" doing well
Thereupon, amid general rejoicing, the
electors adjourned and drew their per
diem and mileage amounting to exactly
$36S.40.
Positively the only thing done by the
electors at this meeting was to take the
oath, receive their commissions and or
ganize. all of which could have been trans
acted at the January meeting, and would
have been but for the mistake of date
made in drawing the election law.
The farce will be repeated on the 5th
of next December when the Governor
by proclamation, will call together the
electors chosen last Tuesday.