The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-10-31


munity iorthest west, the heaviest
barrle OF ballots ever Witnessed will
be in progress" says a bulletin OF
the National Geographical Society,
issued from its Washington. ID. c.,
headquarters.
The battle will not be made great
er tnan those of 1912 and 1916 by ans
increase in the area over which it
win be fought continues the bull
lstln. FOR Arizona and New Mex
leo casting their ballots for presi-
dent for the first time in 1872, COM
pleted the roster of the states in the
United States proper and signalized
the extention of the presidential suf-
trage 10 every political uni, between
the Two oceans and the Canadian and .
Mexican borders except the District
Of Columbia The battle will be al
most doubled in magnitude, how
ever. by the extension of suffrage To
women in the many states which
dld NOT perm, them to vote in pre-
vious elections.
The Far-Flung Ballot Box
This greatest Of election struggles .
win take place in an area Of approNi- .
mately 9 0O00 600 square miles, under
conditions varying from the frosty .
weather Of the Canadian boundary
and the not improbable snow storms
OF the higher communities Of the
Rockies 10 the burning sunshine OF
Key West and some Of the cities and
villages Of the southwestern border
Halot-boxes - emblems Of American
sovereignty-w be set mp in the
hearts Of great cities. in villages, In
wayside school houses; on Isolated Is
lands. In pockets OF the great woods;
tar up among rough peaks, and below
tie level OF the sea; in many cases in
communities which lie behind great
natural barriers that cut them off
physically from other settlements. And
YET because OF the telephone and
telegraph wires that extend into
nearly every community, and wire
less communication that supplements
them, most American citizens. un-
less the contest is unusually close
will learn the results from the tar-
flung battle line OF the breakfast ta-
bles next morning Indeed impatient.
know the results before midnight,
reading reports as they are flashed
or screens before newspaper offices
in countless cities and towns.
1T was far different, paradoxical
as il may seem at first sight, during
the early presidential elections in
which popular voting figured. in spite
Of the fact that practically all voters
were east of the Mississippi river ana
most Of them in the states along the
Atlantic seaboard. Lacking electrical
means Of communication and rail-
roads. and having but poor highways
and vehicles, the country was ofteh
in ignorance Of the candidate elected
for weeks after the election. The
contrast. cannot be carried back 10
elections when the United States was
confined to its original l3 members
along the narrow strip Of coast coun-
try for in those days the voter ana
the campaign manager had not come
lntc their own. The choosing of
president was a partyless, campaign
less and--so far as most Of the men
in the street were concerned-a vote
lass affair Legislatures saved voters
from the bother of casting ballots by
appointins electors and the latter
chose i president.
Nominating Conventions
Yves erners might assert that the
extension Of the vote to their states
popularized the government. At any
rate. as the course OF statehood has
taken its way westward. voters have
come more and more into closer man.
agement Of their government anu
their various activities have left
geographical milestones along the
road,
Tennessee originated the first move
ment toward the popular choice OF
standard bearer, who should stand be-
fore the country as a candidate. This
first impulse which brought about
nominating conventions competing
parties and campaigns much as We
know them today started at mass
meeting of citizens al the little town
OF Nlarysville In 1928 Speechmak-
ing trips were first made In the cam
paign Of ls+O and what was consid-
cred the big swing around the circle
Of Stephen Douglas IN 1860 covered
only u part of The country east oi
the Mississippi A. that. the trip
was much more OF an undertaking
than the transcOntinental campaign
ing tours Of today.
"The expanding geography OF the
United States has played is part IN
the elections Ut presidents ~ more
ways than one. Missouri anu us
compromise left It's impress early. The
Mexican war and tht winning OF
Texas elected Zachary Taylor. south
Carolina, Florida, Louisiana ana Ore
Won were the scattered pawns ~
the creates, and most dangerous poll
t,cal game that has ever been nlayed
in Amerlca-the Hayes-nlden contest
OF 1870 which gave the presidency TO
IN. former.
Nearly every succeeding presiden-
tlai campaign since the establishment
Of the Union has seen votes counted
from new states. The ufst SIX
presidents were elected by votes en-
tlrsly from east OF the Mississippi
with the admission Of Louisiana IN
1872 voters living west of the great
river that formed the early western
boundary Of the country cast thelI
first votes for presidents Growth oi
the country during the next few years
took place in the Great Lakes region
and il was not until is2i when Mis-
souri was admitted that state ~
ins entirely to the west of the Ml's
isslppl Joined in choosing CHEZ
executive.
Suffrage Linked Ocean to Ocean
"Th. annexation Of Texas In lS4o
carried the territory Of the United
states in which participation could