The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-11-10
FAILURE OF ELECTION
METHOD OF CHOOSING PRESI-
DENT BY VOTE OR BY
CONGRESS-.

Sioux City Tribune: There is Il
possibility that definite information
regarding the election of president
may not be obtainable for several
days. perhaps weeks. Recounts will
be insisted on in several states by
both parties. The vote of the nation
al ~guardsmen on the border may play
an important part. Court action is
probable in several states. The Trib-
une's Washington bureau reports
that intense bitterness is developing
on both sides and neither party in
tends to concede anything until there
is an indisputable sshowing of facts.
The Tribune's information on the
result in various states is the very
best obtainable and is accurate as far
as ii is humanity possible to obtain
il at this time.
II is not improbable, even. that the
final decision will rest with congress-.
In that event 1t would be the duty of
the present congress, which is over
whelmingly democratic in both
branches, to decide the issue.
The live possibility that congress
may settle the presidential election
makes the federal constitution a mat
ter of current news interest. Article
XII, relating to the electoral vote,
provides:
The electors shall meet in their re-
spective states and vote by ballot for
president and vice president, one of
whom at least shall not be an inhab-
liant of the same state with them
selves; they shall name i'm their bal
lots the person voted for as president
and in the distinct ballots the person
voted for as vice president; and all
persons voted for as vice president,
and the number of votes for each,
which lists they shall sign and GER
tify and transmit sealed to the seat of
government of the United States, di-
rected to the president of the senate.
The president of the senate shall in
presence of senate and house of rep
resentatives open all the certificates
and the votes shall then be counted,
the person having the greatest num-
Der of votes for president shall be
president If such be a majority of the
whole number of the electors APP
pointed, and Ii no person have such
majority then from the persons hay-
ing the highest numbers not exceed
ing three Oh the list of those voted
for as president the house of repre-
%sentatives shall choose Immediately
by ballot the president. But in
choosing the president, the votes
shall be taken by states, the repre-
s~entation for each state having one
vote. a quorum for this purpose
shall consist of a member or mem
bers from two-thirds of the states
and a majority of all the states shall
be necessary TO a choice. And if the
house of representatives shall not
choose the president, whenever the
right of choice shall devolye upon
them, before the 4th day of March
next following. then the vice presi-
dent shall act as president as in the
case of the death or other constitu-
tional disability of the president.
The person having the greatest
number of votes as vice president
shall be the vice president, if such
number be a majority of the whole
number of the electors appointed;
and if no person have a majority,
then from the two highest numbers
on the list the senate shall choose the
vice president. A quorum, for that
purpose shall consist of two-thirds of
the whole number of senator's and a
majority of the whole number shall
be necessary to a choice.
But no person constitutionally in
eligible to the office of president
4 lhn1I he Als,.LIA - thAt f . --A-s
dent of the United States.