The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-07-12
STATES THAT REPUDIATE

Iowa has definitely repudiated the
domination of Presiden. Taft. and il
is stated that Roosevelt electors may
be put upon the Republican ticket in
that State. The same is threatened in
California. and perhaps may be under.
taken In other States But wherever
this is done it Will be distinct repu-
diation Of good faith, and the triumph
Of dishoror over honor There is but
one honorable course to pursue in any
state, in this campaign. so far as the
placing Of electors on the Republican
ticket is concerned. and that is to put
on the Republican ticket in all states
the names of electors who will vote tor
President Taft. the party's regular
nominee. To refuse to do this on the
| part of any State is TO make mat
boiling State.
There appears to he no douot OUT
that there is weakness in our eiec'
toral system, which has been found
| by the Roosevelt political pirates. mat
weakness involves also treachery ana
dishoror on the part OF republican
electors. There can be no doubt but
that any elector chosen on the Repub-
Gcan ticket is in honor bound to vote
for President Taft. There has never
been a case of any elector: in the whole
history of our Government, who failed
to carry out honorably the true intent
and meaning of the voters who voted
for him: but this year that sort OF po"
litical treachery and dishonor is made
a regular attachment TO the Roose-
welt propaganda Persisted In. this
sort of political treachery can result In
but one of two things; either prlma-
rilv the election of the Democratic
electors in sufficient numbers to give
Governor Wilson the Presidency, or,
secondarily, to throw the election into
the House Of Representatives., where
no choice would be possible, so far as
now appears.
In an election by the House of Rep
but one vote, and the concurrence of
twenty-five States would be necessary
in order to elect any candidate. The
procedure is that the Representatives
from each State shall cast one vote Tor
that State, where the election is
thrown into the House. As at present
constituted. the House Of Representa-
tives made up cf members from the
forty eight States, is practically help
less, without power to elect. Twenty
two State delegations have Repub-
lican majority of Representatives, who
would vote either for Roosevelt or for
Taft; twenty-three States have ma.
iority of Democratic Representatives,,
and they would undoubtedly vote for
Governor Wilson. Three States have
so tina, their votes would not count Tor
either side 1t is possible that some of
the Roosevelt electors. or that tieu
state might cast their votes, either
through the absence Of a part OF ne
delegation or otherwise, for either
Taft or Wilson, but the probability is
that the deadlock would be unbroken.
In that case the Constitution pro-
vides (see Twelfth Amendment) tnat
the Vice-President shall act as Presi.
dent 'tas in the case of the death, or
other Constitutional disability of the
President. But who shall be Vice
PRESIDENT The amendment proceeds
to say that ''The person having the
greatest number Of votes as Vice-Pres-
ident shall be the Vice President, II
such number be majority of the
whole number of electors appointed !;
and if no person have majority, then
from the two highest numbers on the
list the Senate shall choose the Vice
President. A quorum for that purpose
shall consist OF two-thirds OF the whole
number of Senators, and majority of
the whole number shall be necessary TO
a choice In this latter contingency,
| where the Senate elects the Nlce-Prcs-
! ident, who shall succeed to the Presi-
old deadlock, for a number OF the Re-
publican Senators are so saturated
with the boiling spirit, that it Is
doubtful, whether they could be rallied
to the support Of the Republican nom
inee, Mr.. Sherman, who is now, oi
course, the Vice President, and Presi
DEBT Of the Senate. Senator Bristow
OF Kansas has come ont openly for the
Democratic nominee for President, ano
in such case might vote for Mr.. Mar
shall, the Democratic candidate fol
! Vice President.
Tne senate is composed of % mem
bers, there being vacancy from Colo
RADIO. OF these the Republicans have
81 and the Democrats Al The Repub
liean majority therefore is Z. Mr.
Bristow is openly for the Democratic
candidate which leaves the count 81
Republican Senators and As Demo
cratic Senators, for this purpose. !
change Of three more Republican Sena
tors, and a number of them, as l.;
Toilette Clapp and Nelson OF Mime
sofa. Gronra of North Dakota, an,
| Crawford and GamDls NJ South Da