The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-11-07
THE NATIONAL. RESULT.

The National result is n sweeping vie.
tory for the Democratic party. \ di-
vidcd Republican party could not hone
TO win. The Democrats elect their
! President by tremendous majority
in the electoral college, and the chances
are that they will have both Houses OF
! Congress by substantial maiorities. The
senate IS somewhat in doubt. but the
winning party may rs well make = clean
sweep and have il all. for il is not like
~ that nominally Republican Senate
would he cohesive and effective in any
practical way. There would be nothing
to gain either by the country or by the
party in having such frail hold upon
public affairs as would be given by the
control of the Senate, Tho winners
might as wen have everything. The To-
cal Democrats appear well convinced
| that the Democratic party viii not med
die with the lead tariff, We have our
fears on this point, however, because
the Democratic blow has usually fallen
most swiftly and strongly upon lead
and wool than upon any other items of
the tariff.
President Taft sent letter Of con
graduation TO his successful rival, and
| Colonel Roosevelt did the same, showing
Doth to be good losers to the common
| enemy, and TO accept in the proper
American spirit the verdict Of the peo.
| pie.
Doubtless we shall have from Presi.
dent.elect Wilson from time to time an
| nouncements of his conclusions on vari-
Gus points. Probably he will call an
extra session of Congress soon after his
Inauguration in order to give as speedy
effect as possible to the verdict of the
people. This is clearly what the voters
expect; and in so doing President Will
son will be simply doing what others
have done before him, and what the
logical conclusion of his victory die
tates
1t is pity that we could not have
the election machinery for President
and Vice President brought up to mod
ern conditions. There is no reason why
we should not give immediate effect to
the result OF the election. The new Con
gress should begin with the new year,
and the new administration the same.
This is something that we have advo-
Gated heretofore. and we believe that
the change is inevitable. Under or
dinary conditions the legislation de-
clared for by the election of Tuesday
would not be possible until the assemb-
ling of Congress the first Monday in
December, 1913. When the communica.
tions and transportation in the country
were slow and difficult, IT was well
enough to have the electors meet i'm the
next year after the election, and the
President 10 be Inaugurated four
months after he was elected Under
our improved conditions, however there
is no reason why the electoral college
should not meet in the different States
early in December, and have their vote
counted by the present Congress soon
after It's meeting the first Monday in
December. Everything then would be
ready for change of government with
the first OF the year. The old slow con-
ditlons have passed away in fact; now
let them pass away in procedure and
law. The next amendment to the Fed
eral Constitution might well provide for
this expediting of matters, so that the
expressed will Of the people could he
given immediate effect.