Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-08-15
POSSIBILITY THAT HOUSE
MAY ELECT NEXT PRESIDENT
Triangular Contest Leads Men of Political
Sagacity to Predict That No Candidate Will
Have Majority of Electoral Vote.

New York. Aug s.-Men renowned for
their political sagacity are free with
their predictions that a triangular fight
for the presidency this fall will throw the
coming presidential election into the
House of Represent tives, says the Times.
Whether an alarrnist view or not. this is
one worthy of analysis at this time.
The Electoral vote will be counted before
Joint session Of Congress at LOO p. m.
on the second Wednesday of February
reXt. The total electoral vote in this cam
paign will be 531, and majority necessary
t. choice will be 266
The constitution provides that eff no
person has such majority. then from the
persons having the highest numbers. not
exceeding three on the list Of those voted
for as president. the House of Representa-
t1ves shall choose Immediately, by ballot,
the president But in choosing the presi-
dent the vote shall be taken by States,
the representation from each State hav-
ing one vote; quorum for this purpose
shall consist Of a member or members
from two-thrds of the States and the ma
iority of all the States shall be necessary
to a choice And If the House of Repre-
sentatives shall not choose a president
whenever the right of choice shall devolve
upon them before the 4th day of March
next following then the vice-president
shall act as president. as in the case of
the death or other constitutional disable
ity of the president"
SENATE WOULD CHOOSE V.-P.
But it is reasonably certain that no
vice-pre sidontial candidate will get ma
FORTY, If no Presidential nominee receives
one So what Is to he done in such an
event?
The constitution Is clear on this point
also The election of the vice-president
would be thrown into the Senate instead
of the House, and the Senate would have
to make final choice between not the
three but the two candidates receiving
the highest number of electoral votes.
The election of the vice-president is fur
Their simplified by the absence of consti-
tutional restriction as to senators vot-
ing "hy States" They can use their in
dividual preference.
An important fact not to be lost sight
of is that the Congress which. under
these possible circumstances. would make
final selection OF a President and vice
president next February is the present
Congress. The House of Representatives
which might make the selection or Presi
dent Is now divided: Democrats. 90
republicans. 161; socialists, !. But, al
though the Senate which might select ou
next vice-prcsident, Is republican b!
what to superficial view appears to be
safe majority, the progressive republi
cans in that body hold balance Of pow
err. Whether in the event of a vote be
tween merely a democrat and n regula
republican they would vote for the on
or the other would remain to be SEEM
MAY BE A DEADLOCK
The Congress which would decide tn
election under such circumstances
that now in session. And. as stated
the vote of the House would be b
States rather than by individual mem
bers, each State having one vote dictat
ed by the majority Of its representa-
tives
fact most significant, indeed, is tina
In the present House the political d.
vision by States Is exactly equal, al
though there are 229 democrats an
only 161 republican representatives, W
there are 20 State delegations in whic
the republicans have a majority an
the same number, %, in which tn
ton. there are four States, holding
balance of power each tied with a
equal number Of republican and demo
cratic representatives, These are Main
Rhode Island, Nebraska and New Mex
CO. I'm these estimates all member
enrolled as republicans which electe
TO Congress are still included in II
republican column)
deadlocl would Tins apOear to
assured were the election thrown I'M
the House. The votes of at least
States would be necessary for an ele
ton. whereas, as said, the democra
control the delegations of but %, as
the republicans, regular and progre
sive, between them. How many re-
resentatives hitherto listed as republ
cans will join the new party no one CO
yet estimate.
MIGHT GO TO VICE-PREsIDENT.
IF the election Is thrown into Congress
the possibility Is that after March 4, Il
presidency must on that date fall to Il
successful candidate, for the vice-pres
dency If the election of the vice-pres
dent is thrown into the Senate the poss
bility OF a deadlock there would be dir
inished by the fact that in that body Il
two, rather than the three candidates r
ceiving the highest electoral vote won
be ballotted for by the senators, wi
would vote as individuals rather than
States.
In the election of 1901 the electoral vo
was divided as follows: Jefferson. repu
lican, 73: Burr, republican, "; John a
ANS. federalist G Charles G. Pinckne