The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-11-08
SOME POSSIBLE CHANGES.

changes in our political methods. and
in the application of constitutional
provisions. we find the following cdito-
rial note in an Eastern contemporary:
not improbable and a beneficial
| result or the third party this year Is the
abolition Of the Electoral College, and the
| governments OF uniform plan OF
choosing Presidential nominees and
| elcCting one or them.
IL is always well to keep in mind
that the changes to be made in any
political system should be as little dis
turbing as possible, and as harmoniously
as may bc along the lines of principles
and procedure already established. Ac-
| cordingly. we should say that the sug-
gestion for the abolition of the electo-
raj college is precisely opposite to
whatever change is likely 10 be made
with respect TO that constitutional
body. We should say that it is far
more likely that the electoral college
will be restored, in some degree at
least. to the dignity which those who
established this method for the formal
election Of the President, expected
would attach to it. The electors chosen
in the different States were supposed
10 be body acting with entire free
dom and endowed with an Independent
choice in respect to their election OF
President and Vice President. That
is, it was supposed that the voters
q, Ill
without going back of the body of
electors and indicating a popular choice
of President, as has been done. Un-
der the constitutional idea. in every
State there would be elected as many
electors as there arc Senators and Rep.
resentatives from that State in Con-
gress, and these electors. without any
prompting from the people or other
wise, would as their deliberate choice
elect the President and Vice Presi-
dent. But this has been entirely
changed in practice, and the electoral
college has been made simply re-.
cording body to designate officially
and copstitutionalIy the voters choice
for President and Vice President al
ready practically chosen.
Now we should Judge that in place
Of abolisbing the Electoral College, II
is more likely that the National con.
ventions will be abolished, and that
in every State there may be electors
chosen by the different parties accord.
ing TO the preference Of each State;
that these electors so chosen will meet
as an electoral body in Washington,
and will there, in fact, elect the Presi-
templated they would do; the change
from present practice in that event
being that the electors from all the
States would meet in Washingto as
q body, and there cousummate the
election of President aud Vice Prcsi-
dent. whereas now, acting merely as a
recording body, the electors from each
State meet in the capital of that State
and record their vote according as
the people have declared at the pre-.
ceding November election. The only
change. therefore. would be in the
method Of procedure by the Electoral
College. The electors, under the sug.
gested change, would meet as an elec.
toral body and would actually elect
the President and Vice President
This method would have obvious ad-
vantages. The present year, for in
stance, there would have been this
condition; On the Republican side the
electors in number OF the States
would have been for Taft: number
would have been for Roosevelt: some
would have been FOR La Toilette; Iowa
would doubtless have been for Cum
Minis On the Democratic side some
Of the electors. possibly the major.
ity, would have been for Champ Clark:
some for Wilson; others would have
beeu for Harmon; others yet might
have been for Underwood or for some
other preference. Indiana would have
been for Marshall.
ThereupoD the electors. meeting in
Washington as proposed. as an Electo.
raj College, would have balloted until
they had succeeded in eleeting either
r Democratic or Republican Presi.
dent. The change would be cousidera.
te, 20 be sure. but after all il would
be change simply OF detail and not
OF substance. because constitutiouallv
the Electoral College now elects thr
President and Vice President.
This change of detail, if it were fur.
ther made TO include the continuance
Of the Electoral College as a live. ae.
tive organization for four years.
would be an additional safeguard 10
the Republic in that, whenever the Of
fee Of President should be vacant, the
electoral body could be called together
on the assumption Of the Presidency
by the Vice President TO elect a new
Vice President; or. IL both President
and Vice President should be disabled
or should die, the Electoral College
would be called together by the See.