Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-06-28

that, in addition TO It's representation
In the electoral college on the basis
OF population. every state IL entitled 10
equal representation because II 10
state.
Electors Not Bound.
There Is no constitutional command
or statutory provision, which would be
worthless without constitutional war.
rant, requiring the members of the
electoral college to vote for the candi-
date of any political party, but the
unwritten law requires that the cleo
tors, though selected because of their
wisdom and integrity TO discharge the
highest duty known to our institutions,
shall vote not as their wisdom would
direct, but as their partisan obligations
demand.
This is one OF the weak places In the
system which has long given serious
concern to those who take philosoph-
&c view Of the American experiment.
When Washington determined not 10
be a candidate for third term party
divisions and party names appeared.
with the result that the twelfth amend.
ment to the constitution was adopted.
which assures practically direct popu-
lar election of president and vice pres
/ ident, the candidates being named by
the conventions Of contending political
| parties, the party system, though with
/ out the sanction Of law, amounting In
I effect 10 the choice of president by d.
rect vote Of the people In all the states
the electors chosen by popular vote be-
ing merely the instruments to record
the will OF the voters. THE United
States has no machinery of its own
for electlng presidents" that business
pertaining exclusively to the states and
with but slight restriction from the
federal authority.
The germ of the so called preferen-
tial primary of the day is imbedded In
the present electoral system. Hamil;
ton was much impressed with the wis
dom of the plan adopted by the con
vention which framed the constitution,
because, in his opinion, 1t promised et-
fectual security against the tumult and
disorder by which communities would
be convulsed In times OF great parti-
san activity. Gouyerneur Morris, Ben
jamin franklin, John Dickinson, James
Wilson and Daniel Carroll all advocat-
ed the election OF president by the
people. On the other hand. Roger
Sherman of Connecticut thought that
the people would never be sufficiently
informed Of the character OF men to
vote inteligently for the candidates
that might be presented" Elbridge
Gerry OF Massachusetts regarded
popular election as radically vicious"
and George Mason of Virginia declared
that ut would be as unnatural to re-
fer the choice Of a proper person for
president to the people as to refer u
trial of colors to a blind man"
The Case of Harrison In 1888.
As result the electoral plan was
devised and has continued with such
modification as the twelfth amend
ment provides to the present time A
good enough system In itself in fair
weather, II has on occasion developed
defects which have threatened the
peace and security Of the country, as,
for example, in the great contest Of
1876. when extraordinary measures
were resorted to for the purpose of per.
petuating the power Of party control.
Though the president is not elected
by the people. he is, In fact. elected by
the people and In some cases by mi
nority OF the people. as in 1888 when
Mr.. Harrison was elected president, al
though Mr.. Cleveland had a majority
of the popular vote. n,t,tfA.. 80
The twelfth amendment to the con
stitution was ratified In 1900 and be-
came effective in the presidential cleo
ton OF 1904. when Jefferson, Repub.
ncan, was elected president by vote
Of 162. Ills opponent was Charles
Cotesworth Pinckney, Federalist, who
received fourteen votes. In 1908 Taft
received 321 electoral votes and Bryan
162. The popular vote for president In
1908 aggregated 14,sSS, 442. The vote
for the Taft electors was 7,67s, 90S and
for the Bryan electors 6,409, 104. The
Taft popular majority over Bryan was
1.269,s04 and over all candidates 469,-
374. The popular vote In the election
next November viii exceed 1900, 600
The number Of votes In the electoral
college viii be SOL The number nee
sssary to election will be zee.