The New York herald., 1921-01-10
|NECTORS DECIDE
PRESIDENCY TODAY
IN OLD CEREMONY
Harding and Coolidge Will
Be Declared Choice at
Every State Capital.
SENATE TO ACT LATER
Vice President Marshalfs
Criticism of System Gre
ates New Interest.
COULD SELECT E. V. DEBS
Method Now in Vogue Places
No Legal Restraint on Elec-
toral College.
SENATE TO ACT LATER
COULD SELECT E. V. DEBS
,scsar pespasch to THE Nuw Youx HERALD.
Washington, ID. c., Jan. 3.


New York Herald Bureau,
Washington. ID. c., Jan. 3. =,
Tomorrow the meeting OF the Elec-
toral College will officially decide the
election for President and Yice-president
of the United States for the ensuing
four years Interest is accumulated In
the meeting because of the statement
made by vice-President Marshall in an
interview in THE New York HERALD
yesterday advising return to the sys-
tern In the minds of the trainers OF the
Constitution. The Presidential electors
comprising the body popularity known as
the Electoral College will meet to-mor-
row IA every state capital within the
Union, casting their votes for President
and v1ce-President-
While the result is anticipated, there
is no legal obligation resting upon the
electors, and If they choose to vote for
Eugene " Debs or any other man.
their decision would be binding.
In spite of this constitutional un-
certainty. Presdent-eiect Harding will
probably go right ahead making up his
Cabinet and preparing for the four
years that are ahead of him in the
White House.
The change in the method OF elect
ing Presidents resulting in making the
report of the Electoral College a mere
form, is one OF the outstanding ex-
amples Of how q written and immobile
Constitution may be changed by custom
and without formal direction on the
part OF the voters.
Old Ceremony to Prevail.
whether Mr.. Marshall is in earnest in
advising a return to the original plan on
electlng a President which the Constitu-
tion trainers had in mind and which
the Constitution still directs, there Is no
doubt of his sincerity In believing the
tendency towards direct democracy in
the United States is too marked. The
President and those who agree with
him believe that the best governmental
results can be obtained by the system
of delegated and representative authority
The direct election of Presidents which
now prevails is to them an outstanding
example of the direct democracy ten
dency.
In spite of the Presidents objec-
tion to the system. he will participate in
the ceremony of February 3, when the
members of the Senate, headed by the
Sergeant-at-ArTns. will march to the
Chamber of the House of Representa-
fives. Behind the Sergeant-at-Arms will
march two pages carrying the boxes con-
taining the vote cast by the members Of
the Electoral College. The Vice Presi-
dent will preside and will superintend
the opening of the boxes and the count
ing Of the ballots by tellers.
Not as Hamilton Planned.
The exempliication of the change in
method Of electing Presidents that come
about since the time of George Wash
fngton probably would shock Alexander
Hamilton. who took great pride In the
method that was worked out. Through
out all OF the sessions Of the convention
which framed the Constitution Hamil-
ton stood out against so-called pure
democracy" and insisted upon a repre-
sentative form of Government It is a
singular fact that even the name of the
archaic system which will, commence 20
work tomorrow and will complete its
work February 3, was not provided I'm
the Constitution. It's similarity TO the
College or Cardinals which elects the
Pope, probable resulted in the name It
has acquired-the Electoral College
Under the system worked out by Ham,
iltoh and others the Presidential cleo
tors were to be the representative per-
sons OF their State from whose activi-
ties should result the election OF the
best man In the country. free from par
tisan taint and not the creature Of
party.
The system worked out by the trainers
OF the Constitution prevailed in the cleo
tion OF George Washington. but follow
inE him parties began 70 rear their heads
and the people decided they would elect
their own Presidents, and they have
done so ever since.
History of the Changes.
The third election Of a President
marked the beginning Of this funda-
mental change in the Constitution
While the electors were chosen as usual
il was understood they would vote either
for John Adams or Thomas jefferson.
In 1900 the change had become dis
tinct The two parties Of the day put
forth their candidates and the electors
were chosen with the distinct under
standing they were to record their votes
In accordance with the popular verdict.
The electors had ceased to think or to
deliberate. They had become mere al
tomatons.
It still remains with the State legis-