The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1916-11-24
FRAMING UP AN OLIGARCHY.

oregon, announces tnat ne Is soinS u
congress this winter having in view
the one and single aim Of working for
Il constitutional amendment providing
for the election of president by pOpu-
Lar vote. What Mr. Chamberlain really
means is constitutional amendment
for perpetuating the democratic party
in power, and as the senator is dem
ocrat and a very shrewd one at that,
the entrenchment of the democratic
party in power is undoubtedly what
he is after. Even a superficial investi-
cation of the political trend of the
states of the Union. and their capacity
in the matter of population and pred
Election to cast votes, will show that If
president is to be chosen by popular
vote of the whole electorate, no other
party than the democratic could have
ghost of a show in the running. In
the face of facts and figures Senator
Chamberlain will find it difficult to
arouse any enthusiasm in his propo-
sition among the eastern, northern
and western states, for it would be
surrendering all the elections into the
hands of less than dozen states.
If such an amendment as the senator
proposes should by any chance be
adopted all other parties except the
democratic might as we'll surrendei
their organizations, for the eleven un-
broken southern states would carry
the balance of power, and such bal
ance as never could be overcome.
The democratic press has done much
bcasting of the facts that President
Wilson has popular plurality Of be-
tween 100000 and 100000 over Mr.
Hughes, yet, eliminate about 100000
of a popular majority that Mr.. Wilson
received in the eleven southern states
and with the exception of North Car
DINA and Tennessee the republican
vote in thoes states is hardly more
than a corporal's guard-and in the
balance of the Union where every voter
had fair play at the ballot box, Mr.
Hughes is in the lead. Moreover Mr.
Wilson receives this enormous major.
ity in the south when hardly NOR,
than 20 per cent of the actual voting
strength of the state is cast. II the
president were to be chosen by popular
vote the total vote of the south for q
democratic candidate could and would
reach several million. And Their, you
are
LIE. us look over some of the figures
just as a matter of enlightenment
showing the power the south could
yield in general election where large
major;ties would be required to elect
taking the census of 1910 as basis OF
population, not forgetting that TIC
population has greatly increased in the
past six years.
Alabama mad a population in 1919 ol
2.l3S ,093. At the late election the vote
cast in round numbers was 10000 Oh
that vote Wilson received $4,000
Hughes 100000 Now, as a matter Of
comparison Iowa, with approximately
the same population, cast some 500,
000.If it was necessary to swell the
democratic majority under popular
vote Alabama could give democrati,
candidate a majority Of 100000 as
easily as the $4,000 of this year.
The population of Arkansas is given
at 574,449. At the late election the
state cast 10000 votes. Wilson re
ceived $4,000; Hughes $1,000. Connec-
ticut, with 100000 less inhabitants
cast some 100000 votes.
Georgia, with population of $500
121 cast 1000 votes. Wilson received
10000; Hughes $4,000. Michigan with
approximately the same population
cast some $4,000 votes.
Florida with a population of 1888
cast 10000 votes. OF these Wilson re-
ceived $4,000; Hughes 5000. Maine,
with about the same population, cast
$4,000 votes.
Louisiana, with a population OF L.
656,3SS, cast 1900. Wilson received
e8 900; Hughes 5000. Kansas with the
same population. cast 100000 votes.
This vote was increased by women but
they did not cast more than one-third
Of the vote.
Mississippi with population of :
1917 ia, cast $4,000 votes. Wilson re.
ceived $1,000; Hughes 5000. (What A
burlesque on free ballot.) This popu-
latiOn of Mississippi compares with
that of Kansas.
North Carolina, with 2,2O6,287 popu-
lation cast 26S,0O0 votes. Wilson re-
ceived $4,000; Hughes 10000. Wis.,
consin with about the same population
cast 100000 votes.
South Carolina, with population of
LIS, 400, cast 10000 votes. Wilson re =
ceived $4,000: Hughes 1900 (Heaven
help republican in that state) Neb-
raska with 100000 less population.
asst 10000 votes.
| Tennessee with a population of g.
1S4,7S9, cast $4,000 votes. Wilson re-
ceived 22S,0O0; Hughes, $4,000 Mime
sofa, with 100000 less population, cast
353, 900 votes.
Texas, with a population of 1888, 517
cast 2S0,0O0 votes. Wilson received
22S,000; Hughes, $4,000 Minnesota
with 100000 less population, cast 1853 :
900 votes.
Virginia with a population of 2,061,
612, cast II 900 votes. Wilson received
$4,000; Hughes. $1,000. California, with
only 100000 more population, cast nea
H. million votes, including that of the
women.
These are cold figures showing the
difference in the matter of exercising
the franchise in states where every
man has the right to an honest eX.
preston of his political preferences
and the states where one party alon'
dominates the ballot box, and from