The Washington herald., 1912-07-14

likely to be again experienced in crucial
form. Thomas Jefferson, with the keer
foresight of great statesman, saw the
danger, for in 1900 he wrote letter to
Tench Coke in which he said that 'the
contrivance in the Constitution for
marking the votes works badly, because
lit does not announce precisely the true
IMPRESSION of the public will" The point
at issue in the present campaign is not,
however, the electoral system itself. I,
is whether the electors chosen by po-
litical organization can repudiate in the
electoral college the regular nominee OF
their party and cast their votes accord
ing to their independent choice.
There is no doubt that they can do
so without violating either the law or
the Constitution. There is also no
doubt that they are bound both by NOR
ais and precedent to vote for the nomi-
nee Senator Benton of Missouri as
serted emphatically that an elector was
bound to vote according to party die
tates, and disobedience would be at
tended with infamy and with every
penalty which public indignation could
infiict." Justice Bradley said that cleo
tors were party puppets performing
an automatic function. Senator ingalls,
of Kansas, who was always picturesque.
likened them to "the marionettes in a
Punch and Judy show" Richard H.
Dana, jr., reviewing the history of Pres
idential electors, made this observation
concerning electors:
From the fact that he is nominated
by his party as Presidential elector.
the party having first designated whom
it wishes to have made President. he
comes under the implied obligation to
vote for that candidate. and to disre-
gard the obligation which the Consti-
tuition intends to put upon him of Sc
lecting and voting for a President, &C
cording to his own judgment The
number of electors who have so kept
faith with their parties must have been
between three and four thousand"
Quotations like this might be indefi-
nitely multiplied. The sentiment is all
in one direction; and yet, as was point
ed out many years ago, there is the
ever present possibility of a breach of
trust" Treason" it was added, may
seem remote contingency, yet in time
of great temptation there might come
an electoral Benedict Arnold"
These words now seem prophetic. The
plan proposed by Mr.. Roosevelt and his
managers is both revolutionary and
traitorous. 1t would have Republican
electors disregard the mandate of their
party and cast their votes for Roosevelt
instead of for Taft.
The basis suggested for this violent
departure from the recognized methods
of procedure in the electoral college
is that Mr.. Taffs nomination was not
honestly obtained. This is not only a
poor excuse, but it is absolutely false.
Truth, however, must apparently give
way to ambition, and all the precepts of
honesty must be disregarded in the
of political and personal re-
venge This is the situation which con-
fronts the country to-day Whether Mr..
Roosevelt can find a sufficient number
Of men to follow him in his effort TO
again achieve the Presidency without
regard to means or methods, remains
to be seen. The condition of the pop
ular mind is almost indescribable. Two
electors in Pennsylvania
have already declared that, if elected,
they will not be party to the proposed
scheme, and yet another Republican
elector, chosen in Ohio by Taft dis
trict convention. now announces that if
successful at the polls he will vote for
Roosevelt because no pledge was OBJ
aimed from him in advance One can
not help wonder into what chaos the
country is drifting and all because in
'atiable ambition and lust of power
ioes not hesitate to employ extreme
.nds to accomplish its dangerous pur-
BOSE