Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-13


When there are but two principal par
political affairs
Situation Caused by of the nation
Triangular Fight. given TO our
complicated machinery for choosing a
President. but in this year the triangular
battle in which republicans are defending
themselves both against their ancient
enemies, the democrats. and the newly
created progressive party, has made all
these things of practical moment as We'll
as of curious interest.
And how remarkable it now seems to
learn from the record of the past that the
entire Syste moi electing d President was
cast in its present lines because the ia
theirs of the Constitution We're afraid of
the pernicious influence of the arstocratic
Society of the Cincinnati
AS d matter of serious fact. never before
in the history of the republic have there
been so many possible complications in the
outcome OF a presidential election. While.
of course, there is no danger that next
months election will bring the nation as
perllOuSly near to a second civil war as
did the disputed HaycsTilden contest of
ual selection of the chief magistrate may
be attended by more complications now
than then Then 1t was merely a queS-
ton of double election returns from Sev-
eral states. If there should be no cleo
ton in the electoral colleges this time it
Will mean a deadlock.
At the election November > the people
in the several states will choose presi-
Dental electors in
How Electoral each state a number
equal to the whole
System Works. number Of that
states representation in both houses of
Congress. These electors form in each
state a college of electors, who meet in
their own state and cast their ballots for
President and Vice President The >
suits of these ballots are sent to Wash
ington. where they are opened by the
president of the Senate in the presence
of both houses of Congress- If no candi-
date has received amajority of all the
votes cast in all of the electoral colleges
then there is on election.
The whole machinery as at present es-
tablished is regulated under tn etwelfth
amendment to the Constitution. which
was declared in force September 2S 1904
1t provides that if there is no election
by the electors the House of Representa-
yves ShaIl choose a President and the
Senate a Vice President
When so acting as substitute electoral
BODY the House votes by states each
state having one vote. and that vote goes
Tor the choice of the majority of that
state delegation in the House For in
stance, majority of the Massa chusetts
delegation are republicans, so Massachu-
sets would vote for Taft. y majority of
the Virginia delegation are democrats so
Virginia would vote for Wilson
IL so happens that this duty will de-
Volve upon the present House of Repre-
sentatives. in which there are TWENTY-FIVE
republican state delegations, TWENTY-FIVE
democratic delegations and four delega-
tons equally divided between republicans
ana democrats. These four states would
should leave his party and break the
tie.
The Constitution requires. moreover.
that a majority of all the states be given
to the candidate
Needs Majority chosen to be PresI-
of the States dent, This means
"a 'A@ S"'0S' that there could be
no choice except by the affirmative action
OF the delegations of twenty five states.
Either the democrats would have to
win over three divided or republican
states, or the republicans gain three
states, or there would be a deadlock
And this does not take into account the
further complication that would arise
from the support of the progressive party
candidate by some representatives. Be
1t said that never before has the House
been SO completely tied up and deadlock
ed as a substitute electoral body.
While the House choosing a President
Is confined to the three highest men in the
poll or the electoral colleges and votes
by states, the Senate in choosing a Vice
President is confined TO the two leading
candidates in the electoral pool and
votes per capita. But the Constitution
requires "A quorum of two-thirds to be
present and requires for a choice a ma
Jorlty OF the entire membership OF the
Senate and not merely of those voting
AS the division of the Senate between re-
publicans. democrats and insurgents was
such that all last session that body could
not find even "A majority of those voting
Tor any candidate for president pro tenn
pore, II is easy to see that deadlock in
the Senate is also within the range of
possibility
If the Senate could not choose between
the two highest men for Vice President,
then March T.
Secretary Knox when Presi-
Would Be President. tsrm axn aas
he would be succeeded under the law of
1857 by the Secretary of State, since
cabinet officers terms do not exnre by