The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-03

ing elections, should reaG the history of the early contests in the United States. The Irregularities that were toll erant then would never be countenanc- ed now. For the first twenty five years few american citizens had any di- rect interest in electing the President. In most of the States the citizens elect ed the legislators, the legislators elect Cd the electors and the electors elect ed the President and Vice President It IS not to be wondered that with all this delegatid of power and responsi- oility there should have teen room for manipulation
 The result of this policy was that there was always doubt about the out come until the electoral vote was cast. and even then the election was thrown into the House upon two occasions. me nrst of these was when Jefferson and Burr, the Democratic nominees for President and Vice Presidential ycu may call them nominees-got A tie vote In those days 1t was the law that all votes should be cast for Pres ident and that the next to the highest vote should determine the Vice Pres idency. Burr could not in good faith pose as candidate for the Presidency | after he tied with Jefferson for first place. but he stood by and sought to 1 be the beneficiary of the Federalist support in Congress. It was only after l prolonged balloting that the doubt was finally resolved in favor of Jef- | ferson.
 The second time that the election of | President was thrown into the House was in the Jackson Adams Ora wford- Clay race. Jackson received popular vote of 155,000 as compared with 105,- 900 for Adams. The electoral vote stood: Jackson, 99; Adams, S4; Craw- ford, 41; Clay, 37. Yet when 1t came to election In the House, although he had carried nine States by popular vote and eleven in the electoral vote
 Jackson got only seven in the House | vote. Adams carried only six in the popular vote, and only seven by elec- toral vote. yet he carried thirteen in | the House election.
 From that day to this there has never been another election thrown into the House. But with the present growth of radicalism, prohibition, and other outside movements, it is not i'm probable that the day win soon come in the not distant future when Pres ident will haves to be chosen by the House. The Constitution provides that when no candidate receives a majority of the electoral vote the House shall proceed to choose a President and the Senate Vice President, from out of the three leading candidates for each position, as shown by the electoral col lege returns.
 Suppose, to illustrate how 1t would work. that today's balloting should give Taft, 241 votes, Bryan 24O. and Debs, Hisgen or Chafin 2. No candi- date would have a majority. and the election would be thrown into the House. There are not many chances that this will happen in the present election. but 1t is always a possibility. The vote would be officially counted by the Senate and House in a joint session in February. As soon as 1t was determined that no candidate had PAP votes the choice would devolve upon the House. It would then pro- ceed to select a President. Each State would have one vote and each State delegation would determine by a ma jority of its members, whom that vote should be cast for. There are foTty- six States. Twenty-nine of them have delgations a majority of whose mem- bers are Republican. Fifteen delega- tions are Democratic. Those of Rhode Island and Maryland are evenly divid- ed, which would prevent them from voting. Tafts election wouI9 then be assured by a vote of 29 to Is.
 With a strong thtrd party in the field which could carry a dozen electoral votes. it would be possible to entirely