The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1904-11-17
NO NATIONAL
~ MI ''''Ai ELECTION.
Forty-Tive State Elections.

Forty-Eive State Elections.
Washington Post, Nov. 9Th.
Before the great event hat occurs to-
day I'asses into history 1t seems fitting
that The Post sho1ld make another at
tempt at the correction OF the errore-
Gus and almost universally prevalent
impression that this is national elcc-
tion. There Is no such thing to be
found In our Constitution as a nation
al election. We are to have today
forty-tive separate and distinct State
elections for Presidential electors, who,
when chosen, will be. go far as the law
constitutional and statutory--is con-
cerned, absolutely free to vote for any
man who is constitutionally eligible to
the Presidency. The fact that they
will vote tor the candidate of their
respective parties is result Of high
or law than is laid down in the Consti.
tuition or acts OF Congress.
each State" says the Constitution,
"shall appoint, in such manner as the
legislature thereof may direct, num-
ber Of electors equal to the whole num-
ber OF Senators and Representatives to
which the State may be entitled in the
Congress" Each of the State legisIa
tors might lawfully "direct" that the
legislature itself, or the State Supreme
Court, or some other authority zap.
point" those electors, but, by common
consent, sll of the legislatures have
agreed upon the plan N use. But in
each state the election is as separate
aud distinct as If there were no other
State. The number of electors Is not
In proportion to population by any
means, for each Stale has two Senator
lal electors, so that the small States
those of small population--have sever
al times as much voice in the choice
OF President, In ratio OF inhabitants, as
the large States. The official service
required Of each States electors is rem
dered In that State. There are no
Federal voters. Each State fixes the
condition OF suffrage for itself, in the
main, and there are great differences
in this respect. Many thousands "f
men who are no: citizens of the United
States are qualified voters in the States
IN which they reside. As illustrating
how far a Presidential election Is re-
moved from the national idea, no fact
is more impressive than the simple
that it Is always possible in
a close election for the result to be de-
termined by the votes of men who are
not citizens of the United Statesmen
who the national government regards
and treats as foreigners.
National participation in Presiden-
tial election begging: where the work
of the individual States ends. Federal
takes charge of the returns
Of tho voting by each States ELECTORAL
college when they are sent to WASH
ington. The nation receives and
counts the returns and proclaims the
result. There could be no more in
proposition than that there
are no national elections in the United
States, and that the election which is
to be held today will be forty-five sep
arate and distinct State elections.
The central government, the Feder-
al authority, the nation, is clothed
with an immensity of power, as it
should be, for it is, in It's prescribed
sphere OF operations, the sovereign
power of all the people and all the
States. But there is not in the Con-
the least authority for the
exercise of any OF that power, that pres
tige, or that influence with a view to
affecting the result of an election in
anv State. While such interference ls
not, in express terms, forbidden by the
law, it is the conviction
OF many thoughtful men of all parties
that 1t is clearly and dangerously vio-
lative of the spirit and intent of that
These conservative cfti-
zens think that the greatness and glory
OF the republic will be promoted more
by strict observance OF than by Ignor-
ing the rights, duties, and responsible
ties of the constituent members of the
family OF States.