The San Francisco call., 1905-01-10
ELECTORAL COLLEGE
CASTS CALIFORNIA;
VOTE FOR PRESIDENT

SACRAMENTO, Jan. 9.-With most
impressive ceremonies, witnessed by
hundreds of visitors who thronged the
Assembly chamber of the Capitol, the
tormalities attending the casting of
California's ten electoral votes for
President and Vice President of the
United States were carried out this
afternoon. Although the change of
years has destroyed the necessity for
the electoral college and while it was
known ever since the 8th of November
last that CALIFORNIA; electoral votes
were to be cast for Roosevelt and Fair
banks, this fact did not rob the pro-
ceedings of any of their interest. The
spectacle was arranged with the great
est regard to details and the event was
one not soon to be forgotten.
The programme was opened at 2
o'clock with a medley of national airs
by stringed orchestra. AS the strains
were continued the Presidential electors
were escorted to their seats on the
Speakers platform by Governor Par
dee. Lieutenant Governor Alden An
derson Secretary of State Curry, Pres
ident Pro Tempore Wolfe of the Sen
ate, Speaker Prescott or the Assembly,
Chairman Stone and Secretary Wood
tee.
Brief Introductory remarks were
made by General George Stone. With
due solemnity Secretary of State Curry
presented the Governors certificate for
electors of President and Vice Presi-
dent of the United States. The ad-
ministration of the oath of office to
electors was carried out by Judge E..
C. Hart of the Sacramento Superior
ali 70 -
Wood. u S. Grant Jr., Edward Swee-
ney. C. NJ Hammond, Francis M.
Smith, William J. Dingee, George II.
Pippy. Morris B. Harris, G. ]. Walker
and Richard Melrose.
II. s. Grant Jr then nominated Will
liam S. Wood chairman of the college
Ir taking his office Wood delivered the
following address:
.The mode Of electing the President
long baff1ed the convention and was
one of the most perplexing and momen-
tous questions with which the body had
to deal. Finally, by one of the cele-
brated compromises of the constitution,
it was voted that the selection of the
President should be confided to electors
in each State, appointed as the Legis-
lature might direct, and to equal in
number the representation of the State
in Congress.
the Office of Presidential elector con-
templated a body Of men chosen be-
cause it was expected that they would
be the best men in their respective
States, who, in their unfettered discre-
tion, would choose the ffttest man for
President in all the country. They
would be wholly independent and un-
pledged; and yet. by usage alone, the
electors have lost all their indepen-
dence of action and have become mere
cogs in the machinery by which a Pres
ident is elected.
This loss of the active exercise of the
powers Of the electors has been accom-
plished without depriving them of any
OF their legal powers. Any electors
could vote for any native-born citizen
of the United States of the age of S5
years and his vote would be counted.
The electors are under no legal obliga-
ton to vote for Roosevelt and Fair
banks. but are bound to so vote by the
unwritten law. which by long use has
become of equal force and dignity with
constitutional and statutory provisions
1T has been proposed TO abolish or
change the system of the electoral coll
lege and proceed to the election Of