The Alaska daily empire., 1916-11-23
ELECTION OF PRESIDENT BY POPULAR VOTE

The announcement by Senator Chamberlain. of Oregon th;t he will introduce bin in the United States Senate next month providing for the election Of the President of the United States by popular is matter O., more than ordinary interest, in view of the coseuess O. the vote for tc Presidential office in the late election. and for othcr reasons It has long been admitted that our system of eectng Pres. dent is charged with theoretc absurdy end Is unde- mocratic in character Stl the system has never been seriously menaced because cf it's great prati- cal utility in settling the Presidential question on the counting Of tEe State votes. With direct popular where parties are closely balanced. the result could be known perhaps for months. and then it might depend upon few thousand votes in remote districts where fraud and violence might have infinite possibilities and the country might be on the verge of civil war every few years. The danger O. the district system which has often been proposed. and which has been tried a some States. is the cer- tainty of the districts being geeiymardered. On the other hand it is frankly admitted that the system Is indirect and cumbersome and altogether UndemO- cratic. and the abstract soundness Of the plea that President should be elected by the direct vote of the people cannot be questioned The right cannot perhaps be contoyer,ed. but it's expedciency is open Co doubt. Prior 1S0S each eector of the electoral college voted for two candidates for President The one receiving che largest number Of votes was de- clared President and the receiving the second largest vote elected Vice-PrcsdCnt. The term
 
 about 1891. and probably suggested by the col lege of cardinals When the electoral college was con. sttuted, it was meant to be council os the ablest men in the country exercising an independent choice ot chief executive. The theory nas been fact for moment. and since the third election not even
 pretense: the institution is retained for very differ. cat reasons and perhaps for stronger ones As a fact, the electors only registers of the already pronounced party choice in candidates and accept the of md They are State bodies and their Integrity as such is ScrupuOusly guarded. Till 1894 they were appointed direct by the Legislature in most States: in 1924 popular election had superseded 1t in all but six and by 1928 in all but ouc-SouJh Caroina-which retained it uH 1868 The State appoints the place Of their meeting: Congress has fixed the time-the second Mon day in January. To prevent failure in meeting through the refusal of a minority House of Legis lature 10 join with the majority House in setting a ! date. the State s made absolute judge of c disputes over appointments return. Is certificate is decis i've between two sets of returns. and Congress can only intervene if the State itself is unable to decide Al the meeting Of the members of a college of cleo tors no organization is rQured but is customary to elect chairman. They then cast separate ballots (these ballots remaining the property of the State) Tor President and NicePresident In the first three elections each simply voted for two persons. as re- quired by the Constitution. resident of differ ent State without designating the office the one re- S'"5 tHc usuesl FOte becoming President. the next highest Vice-Presdent. Obviously as soon as the parties gained firm organization mere party loyalty would invariably produce tie and in 1900 Jefferson md Burr so tied. the resulting scandal and danger eading to the Twelfth Amendment which obliges hem to designate the office voted for
 On the second Wednesday of February in the House of Representatives, and in presence of both Houses Of Congress assembled the President of the Senate opens and counts the State returns and an. ounces the result In case of a tie the House de. ided by majority of votes. An objection urges gainst our present system of electing President ( that it is indirect method and that it makes possible for chief executive to be elected by :inority Of the popular whereas if the electoral oHege abolished. this would be obviated and at 'ast plurality of the cast would be necessary election Considered. however. from it's different ngles it would seem though the present system f. as stood the test of tme and that it's operation has cen fairly satisfactory Nearly every contingency e iat may arise has been provided for except in the Of third and fourth ties in voting for President.