The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-15
Some Theorists Figure on Similar Situation Arising
 During This Year
ROOSEVELT FIGHT
 WOULD BE CAUSE
If He Runs Independently He Might Make It Impossible for Any Cam didate to Get Majority of
 Electoral College
By c. E. STEWART

By C. E. STEWART
 Washington. June 14-(Special. )-Eyery presidential election year brings forth a horde of the inevitable statisticians and theorists. This year is to be no excep- tion. There is no escape, we simply must give ear to them and read their dope, for they will confront us with facts and fg- ures and prece1ents galore until we sue cumb. We are now confronted with one of these gentlemen armed with glitter ing array of evidences of the possibility of a deadlock in the election of President of the United States. He proves his case and then calmly leaves 1t to the public to "chew over"
 The possibility of a presidential dead lock is based upon the assumption that there is probability of a third party, and that third party will poll enough votes to prevent any candidate having majority in the electoral college. In that event the election of a President would be thrown into the House and vice presi- dent in the Senate But for presidential election purposes he declares the House seems to be a useless piece of machinery.
 
 House consists of one vote from each state. the complexion of the state vote being determined by the complexion of the delegation from that state. Pennsylvania, for instance, would be republican, because Q majority of Fennsylvanias delegation are republicans, aence the vote of that state would 50 tu the republican candi- date; on tine other hand the majority of the Ohio delegation are democrats, and the Ohio vote would go to the democratic candidate; the delegation from Maine is a tie, so the Pine Tree state would have ID vote.
 Majority of States
 Tho constitution requires that the man who is elected shall have a majority of the votes in lis column. As matters now stand there are IS states, so that the sue cessful candidate will have to possess him. self of the votes of at least 25 states. In the House there are 2 states that are democratic on delegation ballot, 22 that are republican and four that are tied.
 Just how it would be possible for a choice to be made under these conditions is not apparent. Constitutional lawyers in the House would, in all probability, raise the question while the voting was going on as to whether a candidate would be entitled to the vote of state if ne only got Il plurality of the delegation, which in tine event of there being three candidates would be possibility. or even a probability.
 Four Candidates in 1924
 In 1921 there were four candidates for the presidency and none received a ma Jority in the electoral college and the election was thrown into the House. John Quincy Adams, who had fewer votes in the college than Andrew Jackson, was the selection of the House. For vice president John C. Calhoun received large majority in the electoral college, and therefore the duty of electing vice president did not dcvolNe upon the legislative branch of the government.
 When the election of 1900 took place the constitutional amendment providing that candidates for President and candidates for vice president should be voted for sep arately had not been passed. Then the leading candidate became President and the next one vice president. In the cam paign of lS0O it was understood that Jeff ferson was the democratic-republican can ddatc for the presidency, with Aaron Burr as his running mate. while John Adams and c. C. Pinckney were the fed- eralist candidates. Everything went smoothly until the electoral votes were eourted, and it was found that Burr rad received the same number of votes in the electoral college as the head of his ticket had obtained.
 To Defeat Jefferson
 This started an intrigue among the fed- eralists to bring about the defeat of Jef- ferson Their first plan was 10 prevent a choice until the following March, when as the matter of succession stood then. there would have to be a new electios This scheme, however. was abandoned and it was decided that the federalists would support Burr.
 After the balloting began it was found every member of the House was present with two exceptions, and that one of these, though too i'll to appear on the floor of the House, was in a committee room near by. where a bed had been pre- pared for him. Hamilton, although per sonally friendly to Burr, and stating that If there is any man in the world 1 ought to hate, it is Jefferson" did every thing in his power 10 bring about the election of Jefferson over Burr. He an- nounced doctrine, which is frequently announced in modern American politics. but not always followed as in his exam pie, and it was that "the public good must be paramount to every personal con- sideration." On the thirty-sixth ballot Jefferson was elected, and Bayard after ward declared that if Burr had deceived
  ed two tnot incorruptible) he might have secured the majority of the states"
 The House, therefore. has handled two presidential elections, and it is only fair to state as a historical fact that they handled them for the best interests of the country.
 Danger of Deadlock Remote
 In the event of the House having 10 discharge this duty the third time. which we are bound to confess in our opinion Is remote, we hardly agree with the opjn- ions so far advanced that there would be continued deadlock. If the third candi- date in the field were able to carry enough states to. make it possible for him to prevent an election in the electoral college. he would draw his strength from both sides of the chamber. This woull inevitably result in compromise at some stage of the proceedings that would bring about an election of a President.
 The only possible danger of the cleo tion ever reaching the House is that Theodore Roosevelt should be defeated for the nomination and in his blind egot- ism attempt to again be President by running independently, or organizing third party and placing himself at its head.
 This comes under the head of probabili-