The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-12-01
states out of forty-four.

states out OF IOrCy-IOur.
Mckinley was winner over Bryan
the first time with tWenty-three out OF
forty-five states to his credit, while
in the second contest he carried 26.
Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson in his first
run, had long leads in states. This
year the president har apparently car
ried thirty states to Hughes eighteen.
Modification of the electoral college
idea is urged by some as preferable
to abolition. William J. Bryan has
made the suggestion that the electors
be chosen by congressional districts
instead of in groups by the vote of the
states. This would eliminate the two
now granted to each state as repre-
senting the senator's, and reduce the
electors for each state to the mum Der
to which it is entitled on a popula-
ton basis, exactly like the represen-
tatives in congress. This would make
the number of electors at present ABS
instead of 531.
If this plan had been in force in
1875 Tilden would have been elected
rpresident, assuming that the demo-
Gratis had chosen ~that year as Many
electors as they did members of con-
In only one presidential election
from that time up to the present year
did the successful party fail to carry
a majority of the congressional dis
tricts. The exception was in 1880
when Garfield was elected. The re-
publicans that year won 146 congress
siona1 districts and the democrats I 80,
ten greenbackers holding the balance
Of power.
The present year sees a democrat
elected president and the democrats
possibly having a plurality of one or
two in the next congress. but not a
majority. II the electors (chosen on
the Bryan plan) had been similarly
divided, there would have been no
election and the duty Of choosing the
president under the constitution would
have devo1ved on the present house.
A majority Of the states, voting as
units, are required to elect. The re-
publicans, if aided by the Califor-
mia progressives, would control TWEEN
Hughes as president
It is. to be said Of the proposal, to
choose electors by districts, that ex-
cept in years of a political landslide
determination of the outcome would
not be very prompt. This year it is
not entirely clear after eighteen days
just which party has won control of
congress.
To choose electors by districts would
split the state groups among the par
ties and so would eliminate the doubt,
full states. which have been The turn
ing point of close elections for for
ty years. But it would also recon
centrate the energies of political par
ties upon the close congressio nal dis
tricts instead. This means an inten-
sification of campaign effort within
narrower limits.
Under normal circumstances of cur
rent politics there are not more than
seventy-fiv or eighty congressional
districts that are doubtful. Practically
every southern district is una1tera bly,
democratic; a large number of north
ern districts are unfalteringly repub-
lican, barring the intrusion of the un-
wanted progressives. Assigning the
electors to districts would mean that
the battle for the supreme prize of
the presidency would center in seven
ty-fiv, eighty or at most 100 close dis
tricts. Even with 100 districts, this
would be combining the struggle to an
area having no larger population than
Massachusetts, New York, New Jer-
sey and Ohio-a situation which
would not be conducive to healthy
politics.
It has been suggested that the pres
ent electoral system be continued, but
that the number Of electors for each
state be feduced by two. thus putting
the states vote on basis OF -popula-
ton solely. This would seem fairer
than the present combination of al
lowances for population and sover-
eighty whereby little Delaware, for
instance, has one vote for population
and two for sovereignty.
In the recent election, however,
such a system would have resulted in
the election Of Hughes. Wilson car
ried thirty states on November and
Hughes eighteen Deductfng the so
and SO from their present totals of
27e and 255 and there are left ZIG for
Wilson and 21S for Hughes.
Another proposed variation Of the
electoral system is that the electors
Of each state be divided among the
parties in proportion to their rela-
tive votes. BY this method. If only
the two major parties were consider
ed, New York this year would give
"a electoral votes and Wilson
21. The electoral vote Of all the
states. if appertiohed on this basis to
the republican and democratic candi-
dates only, would be about as follows:
Total
State Wilson Hughes. Vote