The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-05-14
DIRECT ELECTIONS
M. J. Hapgood Says Each Vote
Should Count One and No More.

Editor Banner: In your COM
ments upon late article of mine you
state in substance ION account of
the corruption in several of our great
cities and the tremendous illiterate
vote of the south, the election OF a
president by direct vote of the peo-
pie would be a dangerous and foolish
experiment" Allow me to state that
the prime object OF direct vote OF
the people for president is to con
troyert the very danger thus allud-
ed to. II is impossible to avoid cor
rupt and unintelligent voters appear
ing at the polls but what we should
aim at is a system that will forestall
their action so far as possible and
give it as little effect as possible,
and if every corrupt vote is made to
count only one the point aimed at
is, TO large extent, gained.
Now how is it? A few thousand
votes in one of the 'illiterate' south
ern states counts many times more
than many thousand votes in a north
ern state at our Republican national
conventions where our presidents of
late have been virtually elected, the
votes OF the people at the November
polls being a mere subsidiary mat
ter. And under our present system
il has repeatedly occurred that
the one declared elected as president
had less number of votes given to
him than his chief competitor. Does
such system conduce to "a govern
ment Of the people, for the people by
the people"
Does not the argument against the
corrupt votes of the cities and the
illiterate votes OF the south apply as
| we'll to the election of every other
officer? And would you abolish pop
ular suffrage In regard to their cleo
ton also? II not, why not?
What is there about the present
system that tends to lessen the dan
ger from corruption and ignorance
anyway? Are the honest more apt
to attend the caucuses. which under
the present system have supreme
control, than the dishonest? Grant
that the average intelligence at our
caucusses is above the average in
telligence at the polls, and would
make reply that it is kind of in
telligence that fosters selfish eX-
clusiveness rather than the popular
welfare.
Why not have system whereby
every democratic vote in Vermont
and every republican vote in Alaba-
ma counts just one and no more? A
system which the great mass OF the
people will understand and be inter
ested in, especially when such sys-
TEN simplyfes matters to the bottom
and does away with q roundabout,
complicated method of procedure
which can only discourage and dis
gust the capable, unselfish citizen.
Every thing now depends upon
the party caucues wherein, as rule
not one tenth OF the voters take
part. This caucus selects delegate
to state party convention which
selects delegates TO a national con
yention. which selects q party candi
date for president. Then an add
tlonal process is gone through with
to select electors until, finally. In
November the people have a chance
to go to the polls and confirm the
nomination OF set OF electors to &c
to Washington and select a presi
dent. There is no chance whatever
for pure. free action The presiden
OF the United States should, abov,
every other official. feel that he hal
been placed at the head OF the ma
ton by the actual, direct voice of tn,
people at large, and every vote
should have the privilege OF entering
his booth and voting for any one h
, desires II he were compelled I,
himself write the name. as | person
; ally, think he should be, then you
, "llliteracy" is done away with and
D In the matter OF corruption, all dea
q ers in II seek above all to avoid tn
/ third ballot Under the direct ba
I lot all the conventions possible no.
: ! could be held but they would nc
5 and should not, dictate and, {
necessity. rule
u Marshall ]. Hapgood
Peru, Vermont, May IL, 1912.
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