The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-08-21
(Ry f.. ". Lightncr.)

'''iA 'A''' NV N'' '''' =" ~ 49,
dent and vice president may be I
part of the dutV of that house.
In other words. in the presence OF
tn" party complications of this Ncal
IL may easily happen that no two per
sons voted Tor To coup the positions
of chief executive and vice chief VII
have II majority of the electoral votes
AS required by tn" constitution.
While most intelligent people in q
general way know the process by
" hich the president and vice president
are chosen. it is probable that few
even of tn" Intelligent know the exact
wording Of III" constitution in regard
To this part of the machinery of the
r"puhhc. Little change has beer
made since the original draft. but to
clarity certain VrrhiaE" of the orig
NAL. what is known AS Article XII
VAS adopted hN tn" Eighth congress,
IN b"romhcr, 1S03. and Was ratified
IN 1904 by lw"-thirds of tn" states,
Their" being AT the tim" seventeen
states, and his final provision in re-
gard to the election of president and
vic" president WAS proclaimed the law
by of the secretary of
stat" S,ll, -. 1904.
Wnrlin. OF the constitution.
II is an Interesting provision ana
ON" immortal in the history of the
lM!i"l States and of all republics, for
III - a lnHltIllNt l1OilCfl LOT al! ClNl-
zons "f the United States that the
"tath"rs OF TIL. country established
III" first real republic. France at the
l!nl, Our final blow against George
III Vas being struck in the old Ameri-
can colonies was passing through the
ihrN'S ~ 0nr Nf the greatest of rev.
"!N'i"nS, and in many OF its aspects
lhr MOST s,.us"lrssly murdcrous. but
S'm'" tlit creation OF the first rcpub-
I .Is France. 4, I y f-,'.I H,aj int, Tho SjlinSt
of empires. with its several Napolaons,
its Louis, lis hahhlc of monarchiSts,
i"GitllniStS @Nn the rest OF the rihald
cr"", hill" the United States has
stood St"adtlst for the principle of
IN" real republic. even REGARDLESS Of
IN" CHASTITY arnag" and 1ratricidal
md inrriridal strife Of the civil war.
f|"r,. then. are the provisions of the
constitution in regard TO ono of the
most important functions of the main
t'Mancc Of III" Republic. the election
Of president and vice president. and
which NOR" than once, even with all
VA S~1i"gUardS. has al times threaten
i,i eruption
Nttrr tho votes shall have beer cast
FOR electors nj thu elections of Novcm-
i"r in III" various states. 9TH" cleo
tors shall meet says tho cunStitu-
'I"if. in thoir respective states and
Vote Il ballot for president and vice
president. one of whom, at least shall
not b" an lnhahltant "t the same state
With Themselves. they shall name in
their ballots thr person voted for as
president, and in distinct ballots he
person voted for rs vice president.
and they shall make distinct lists of
all persons voted for as president and
all persons voted Tor as vice prosi-
dent. and the number of votes for
Zach. which lists they shall sign and
certify and transmit scaled to the
government Of the United States. di-
r"rted 10 the president OF the senate.
TIL" president 81 the senate. in the
r~reS"nc" of the holS" of representa-
tiNrS. shall open all III" certificates
and tn" Votes shall he counted. The
person having the greatest number OF
votes for president shall be- the presi-
dent, II such number he a majority
of the Who'll" number of electors an
pointed: and If no person have such
majority. th"u from the persons hay
ing H." highest numbers NOT exceed
ing thr"" on Nh" list nf those voted
tor As president. thu house of repro
."ntttlN"S II choose immediately.
10y ballot. IL" president. But in
choosing III" president. the votes shall
he taken lv states. the representation
quorum for this purp"s" shall con
Sl>t nt a member or members from
f"o-ihirdS Of III" states. and a ma
lafl'N OF all the states shall he naces-
>t'N ~ Il tllol'". ANA Ii the house
w.. S'h,a sha!l not choose q
t',S."Si' "~'''NtN"i IN" rlght Shal de-
,''N' "H,n 'A"'n. rector" m" fourth
- -H"fFn h"Nt f"lloNlns, then
tn" Ti'" president shall act as presi-
dent. rs in The case Of the death or
the ether constitutional disability of
tn" PRESIDENT. h person having ,he
-.''tN' HuiIi.''r OF votes as vice
i'S'"''f Sf!hll ne IN" Vic" president.
S''h q haiNi'r h" a majority of the
nue. ho.f't'r arpnitcd. and if no
l'fS"n nav" SiIch a majority, then
rom IN" w" highest numbers on the
I'i me S'hat" shall choos" the vice
li"St9'h1. a quorum for tn" purpose
snail consist of ,wo-thirds of tn.
N.Vi' humf"F of senator's. n a ma
J'fIi% 81 IN" Nhol" shall he necessary
=" " ,n..,',' 'f''t no person oonstitu-
i~l"n@iI. m"lisi5le for the ottjc. of presi-
H"nt snail u" "llgihl" for that of vice
PRESIDENT ~ IN" (nitod States
IN" Crime OF 20"
mere the student of the facing
SITUATION mas the entire provision or
ms constitution relative to the ma
eh'herN tor N" legitimate election of
nres!den} and Vie" president of tn.
NIT! states. IL is plain that a COM
pI!ca'l"n su"h as that Of the present
m"in"nt could not BE- foresecn by th,.
~'tth"iS. n that tn" fathers OF This
DAY may h. called upon 10 solve q
n"w problem IN which the republicans
ana pr0gr"SsiV.s are at the mon,.n,
In tn" deepest sort of a quandarv in
regard L. tn" makeup Of the com
Nl"&l"n of the electors. The verbal
statement Of the constitutional pro-
vision as everyone with a hit of acu-