New-York tribune., 1920-11-10
Abolish Electoral College
Several Benefits Which Would Flow
From Direct Election
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The Electoral College has out
lived its original intent and is q mere
survival of an empty form, as the rca-
son for its existence has ceased of
vesting a discretion in the Presiden-
tial electors as to whom they should
vote for and, in the state legislatures,
as to the choice Tor Presidential
electors. While in the minds of the
great body Of voters President and
Vice-President of the United States
were elected to Office last Tuesday, as
a matter OF fact 4 successor to Presi-
dent Wilson will not be elected until
the Presidential electors, voted for on
Tuesday, meet and cast their votes on
January 10. There should be an
amendment to the Federal Constitu-
ton abolishing this cumbersome ma
chinery for the election Of President
and NicePresident, and the people
should vote directly for them, instead
Of, as now, for Presidential electors.
Under the present system of voting
by states it is quite possible for the
President and Vice-President elected
by the Electoral College not to be the
choice OF majority Of the voters of
the country, as in the first Cleveland
harrison campaign, in 1888. when
Cleveland had majority popular vote,
whereas Harrison was the choice of the
electors voting by states, as each state
is entitled to the number of electors
corresponding to its Senators and
Representatives in Congress.
The constitutional provision pre-
scrlbes that each state shall appoint,
IN such manner as the Legislature
thereof shall direct, the Presidential
electors. At the beginning of our gov
ernment most of the electors were
chosen by the legislatures of their re-
spectlve states, the people having no d.
rect participation in their choice. as il
the case of the United States Senator's
PRIOR to the adoption of the Seven
teenth Amendment. But in all the
states now the electors are, under the
direction of state laws. chosen bv the
people at the November election in a
Presidential year Originally, and until
1904, when the Twelfth Amendment to
the Constitution changed the pro-
cedure, the Vice President was the one
receiving the next highest number Of
votes Of the Presidential electors for
President, and, therefore. the defeated
candidate for President became the
Vice President.
As there is no substantial reason
except usage, which has survived its
original purpose why fthe peonle
should not vote directly for President
and Vice President, and as it is de-
slrable to obviate the possibility of a
President not being the choice Of the
majority of the voters of the country. !
believe Congress should submit for the
consideration of the legislatures Of
the states an amendment to the Fc l.
erai Constitution abolishiny Presiden-
tai electors in each state and provid
ing that the people of the entire coun-
try shall vote directly for President
and Vice-President irrespective Of the
number of the states representatives
IN the United States House Of Renre.
sentatlves and Senate and that a mn
Jority vote of the entire electorate Of
the country shall be determinxtive of
the election of President and Vice
President. CHESTER d. PUGsI.EY.
Peekskill, N. Y, Nov. 6, 1920.