The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-09-02
HOW WE ELECT PRESIDENTS.


United States is a question that Is
are as numerous as are the different
interests Of the various classes of
population. Claims for this honor are
advanced n behalf Of the war veterans
of the union army, for organized labor,
for wage earners, for the business in
terests and for the men who control
the capital and financial interests OF
the country.
After all it is zone of these, but the
Independent vote, the men who belong
10 no party, men who are drawn to
one side or the other in different elec-
ton years by considerations outside
Of the party platforms and utilization
with party organizations. These are
the men who decide the presiden-
when the popular vote in the party
ranks is pretty evenly divided.
These conditions exist at the present
time and the independent. float
ing vote is going to have great weight
in the coming contest. Nor does 1t
take a very large vote OF this kind 20
throw the balance to the one side or
the other.
1t has occurred three times since
1924 that the candidate who had a ma
tority of the electoral vote has been
defeated in the electoral college. In the
year named Andrew Jackson received
fifty thousand more votes than John
Q. Adams. There was no election by
the electoral college and the house Of
representatives elected the latter as
president. In 1876 Samuel J. Tilde1
received two hundred and fifty thou
sand more votes than Rutherford 3.
Hayes, still through the action of the
presidential commission the latter was
given one more electoral vote than the
former. Again in 1888 Grover CIeve-
land received ninety-eight thousand
more votes h Benjamin Harrison,
yet the republican candidate received
two hundred and thirty-three electoral
votes to one hundred and sixty-eight
for Mr.. Cleveland.
1t will be seen that under our repub-
lican form of government, where it is
supposed that the majority rules, the
man who is the choice of the voters
for president as expresse dat the polls
is not always the n who is elected.
1t a been stated on good authority
that statistics of presidential elections
for the last forty years show that q
change of six per cent. in the vots
would nave altered the result in almost
every case.
The New York World declares that
even in 1896. when there was a repub-
can plurality of six hundred thous-
sand in the popular vote and niety-five
in the electoral college, a change of
twenty-five thousand votes properly
distributed" would AVE defeated Mr..
Mckinley and elected Mr.. Bryan.
This is certainly a strange condition
to exist in regard to popular elections,
but if one will think fer a minute he
will see that it is correct. Suppose Mr..
Roosevelt should carry New York by,
say five hundred majority and Mr..
Parker should receive twenty-five
thousand majority in North Carolina.
The five hundred republicans over and
N~ Ia lAiC
former state would give their candi-
date t~hirty-six electoral votes against
only twelve representing the twenty
five thousand democratic majority In
this state.
These facts and illustrations show
how easily the result may be revers.
feated in a presidential election and
no weasily the result may be revers-
ed by the addition of a few more bal.
lots secured in states where the vote
is close. 1t is plain that the floating
vote which changes from one side to
the other is really the element in gu
politics which elects the Presidents.
This is a a when the independent
vote is going to count. With party
men returned to their old allegiance
and party lines again definitely drawn
the unknown element, known as ths
floating vote, will be ar all-important
factor in this presidential election.