Evening journal., 1916-11-27

Our neighbor, the World, adds to
its previous services to the cause
OF electoral reform by collecting and
exhibiting q considerable number OF
opinions of weight on the question OF
a national zed Presidential vote.
These opinions are contributed by
Senators and Representatives In Con-
gress, by Governors Of States and by
men of polit cal or philosophical emil
nence no longer in public l-fe. In the
mass, as well as in detail, they help
much TO clarity the problem that Is
now engaging the attention of the
country and to reduce its man fest
difficulties to the simplest terms.
The first thing notable in the
Worlds symposium of views is the ev-
idence Z affords that partisansh p in
pol ticaI organ cations and the ira
ditional attitude of part es in the
matter OF States r ghts and the ex-
tension OF Federal power are not the
factors which will determine the re-
suit one way or the other. Op Mon
divides on lines quite fferent from
those which might naturally be eX-
pected to prevail. About half of the
Democrats represented in the eXh'b t
favor the change to the popular vote,
and about half of these Democrats
oppose it, The Republicans who ex-
ress themselves as heartily IN sup
port of the proposed change are just
equal in number to those who believe
/ that the present system ought to be
| retained. This is a s on fcant CIR
| cumstance. If the present showing is
az all Indicative of the general divi-
| SION Z is highly encouraging for the
settlement Of the question by prac-
teal rather than political conditions
The Sun cannot INSIST too strongly on
the fact that this is not a matter ol
strategic advantage for one party
OF another in the future Presidenti7
elections, but of good for the republ
by the eliminat on. as far as possible
of the lmmeasurablo evils and dan
GERS of a close electoral vote involv
ing another partisan contest like that
OF 1876. In that spTf let It be de
liberated
The second thing to be noted Is
that the question is imminent; no
bv any means Of remote or merely
I academic interest 10 our citizens. Sen
ator Chamberlain OF OREGON Demo
crat. Informs the World that he IN
tends to press during the next session
OF Congress a resolution subm toms
an amendment so that voters mal
cast their ballots directly for Presi
dent and Vice President. A sim la
intention is reported bv Senator John
son of South Dakota Senator Thomp'
son Of Kansas. also a Democrat, has
already once introduced such a reso
luton and announces his intention L
try agan. Senator Clamp. of MIME
sofa. Republican, while doubtful
whether an amendment resolution
can get through Congress. is in favoi
OF elect'ng the President by popular
vote based upon the total vote Of thu
country Senator OGOrman, OF New
York. Is for the direct vote Repre-
sentative VIII ans. of illinois, OF th
House judiciary Committee promi-e
to support in that committee a reso
luton for direct popular vote. An
that veteran and Influential ReDuh
lican, Representative z. J. Hill, o
Connecticut. says that he has bee
working on a constitutional amend
meut for poular vote. which will con
pei equal suffrage and uniform quail
ficatlons for voting.
It IS evident from these example
that the main question, notwlthstanC
ing the complications involved an
the various phases OF possible ohane
and the divergence Of opinion as to th