Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-11-13

three eiectorai votes. or one TO about
every 1000 voters Indiana. with q
popular vote of 6S2,O in 1904, has
only fifteen electoral votes, or one to
every 45.40O voters. New York Is an
other unfortunate state In this respect,
having one electoral vote to every
IL 400 voters
Adopted after prolonged and I'M
Filtered dispute In the famous const1-
tutional convention of 1877 In Philadel-
phia, the electoral college system has
since its inception been the center Of
various momentous disagreements,
When Washington was first elected to
the presidency the legislatures Of New
York and New Hampshire were torn
by dissensions which reached SO far
that no electors were chosen, and
Washington consequently did not re-
ceive any votes from either Of these
states. At the second election, how
ever, Washington received the unani-
nous vote of all the electors.
Notable Historical Episode.
Burr appeared as candidates, Ken
lucky giving the former four votes and
South Carolina giving the latter one.
AT the third election they appeared
again and this time much more promi-
nently, Jefferson receiving 50 votes
and Burr 80. John Adams, with vote
of II, just one over the requisite ma
,.or cd of hp nd
Jefferson became vice president North
Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia
each gave Adams one vote giving JEFF
ferson the rest, and these three scat
tering votes made Adams president
At the fourth election Jefferson and
Burr appeared again. and the vote in
the electoral colleges was tie, 70
each which led to the famous election
by the house. an episode occupying a
prominent place In American history.
In 1928 there was another election
by the house. For president Andrew
Jackson had 90 electoral votes, John
Quincy Adams 81, William H. Craw-
ford II and Henry Clay 81. and. nei-
Their candidate having majority, 1t
devolved upon the house to choose
president from the three highest. The
election came off on Feb. 8, 1925, and
on the first ballot Adams was elected
for Adams, ID states; for Jackson, z;
for Crawford, 4. In this election Clay
| threw his vote to Adams, who in turn
made him secretary Of state, and the
resultant cry Of bargain and sale ruin
ed the great kentuckian's presiden.
tial prospects.
A Celebrated Controversy.
The celebrated Samuel ]. Tilden-Ruth
erford b. Hayes controversy occurred
In 1876 A violent partisan dispute
arose over the electoral votes Of Flort-
da. Louisiana, Oregon and South Caro-
| lima The entire matter was referred
| by congress to an electoral commits
sion composed Of eight Republicans
and seven Democrats. AS result
by strict party vote 1S5 electoral
votes We're awarded to Hayes and 184
to Tilden. Some of the supporters Of
MI. Tilden became SO aroused over
the decision that they openly talked
of taking Tilden to Washington and
seating him anyhow" and threats Of
bringing about civil war were bruit-
ed about.
The ablest men of the newly born
United States founded the electoral
college, choosing a system that was
but one Of a dozen advanced for the
purpose Of deciding the presidency
and vice presidency. To Alexander
Hamilton is given most of the credit
for bringing about the adoption Of the
system as originally created by the
constitution
Hamilton devoted the paper known
as the 'LXVIH Federalist" to the
subject of the presidential election,
and in 1t he urged many forcible rea-
sons showing the advantage of SUBJ
uniting the choice to an Independent
body of men
Among other things he said st Is
equally desirable that the Immediate
election should be made by men most
capable Of analvzing the qualities
adapted to the station and acting in
der circumstances fay CRADLE to DELHI
| Grafton and to Il judi ious combina-
ton OF all reasons and ii:t}ucements
that were proper to govern this choice.
"A small l!ulnber Of persons selected
by their fellow citizens from the gen
era mass win be most likely to pos
sess ha information ai.l discernment
requisite TO 50 complicated an inyes
tigation"
George Washington was chairman
Of the convention. and active parts
were taken ny such men as Benjamin
Franklin James Madison. John Dick
inson Of New Jersey, Pinckney Of
South Carolina, Alexander Hamilton
and others.
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