Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-10-30

The congressional election in the off
year OF 1896 resulted for the first time in
the history Of the country in returning to
congress a majority definitely and violently
opposed to the president and his federal
administration. This campaign also was
remarkable in that II represented the first
popular political protest Of the plain people
against what was known as the governing
class" It's direct result was to overthrow
the political aristocracy which was mod
eled on the lines Of English practice, and
which had ruled the country from the be-
ginning. It's indirect result was to estab-
fish the American system Of political or
ganizauon, which in the course of years
has developed a political oligarchy Of
greater and lesser bosses against whom in
surgency now threatens destruction.
The movement which resulted in the tri-
umph Of the Jacksonian democracy in 1926
had it's definite beginning three years ear
lier. In 1890 Monroe had been elected presi-
dent by unanimous vote The congress
elected in 1922 had forty democrats in the
senate against eight opposition members,
and in the house there were 141 democrats
as against seventy-two opposition mem
kbers. The majority OF these non-democrats
were known as federalists, although many
| of them called themselves anti-Monroe
democrats As matter of fact they were
not organized and there was practically
but one party in existence.
Until that time nominations for president
and vice president had been made by parti
| san caucuses Of the members of congress
AS long as there were two parties Of ap
proximately equal strength this system
was satisfactory because 1t was calculated
to secure harmonious party support fo
the chosen standard bearer. But as tn,
federalist party became more and more in
effective, the conflicting ambitions Of demo
cratic leaders brought the caucus in dis
repute No ambitious leader was willing t,
leave the choice to caucus susceptible I,
the influences Of wire pulling when Their
was abundant opportunity to carry tn
matter to the states for final decision.
/ There has been no effort to establish
uniform method of choosing presidents
electors in the several states, and tn
whole system was chaotic. The elector
3 were chosen by general state ticket, &C
| cording to the now established uniforr
E practice, in some Of the states; while 4
) others they were elected by districts, an
in others they were chosen by the legis
r lature. In each state one Of these thre
n methods would be selected LOT eaCh PREF
h idential election, according to the juda
A ment Of the leaders OF the major ~ In tn
q state legislature, a judgment always base
, upon considerations OF party welfare.
o a result, the people as a whole took htt
/, interest in the presidential elections an
were concerned with state politics, almo
: to the utter exclusion of national affair
It was generally accepted that the Leaf
; ers at Washington would choose the pre-
= ident, and that the people had no busin'
= to interfere with their choice.
u Although the adoption Of the constitute
u had set up a government differing radical
e in form from that OF England, it was in
q possible for English colonists instantly
shake off the influence of British instit