The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-12-09
PROGRESSIVE !
BLOC PROPOSES
BIZ, CHANGE
Would Amend Consti-
tuition So That Pres
ident May Be Elect
ed by Popular Vote

ident May Be Elect
ed by Popular Vote
washington, Dec. 5.1Me.nhers
Of the new progressive bloc in con-
gress got into action today but at
t the very outset, ran into White
House opposition Led by Senator
Norris Republican, of the Nebras-
Ia bloc members sitting on the sen
ate Agriculture committee obtained
"A favorable report from that COM
naittee for a constitutional amend
naent providing abolition OF the
electoral colIese aEds for direct
election Of pre s!dent and vice pres
;dent and 70. abolition Of the long
oeried of time usually esaps!1iss be-
tween congressional election and
the. regular meeting Of the new
congress. Such an amendment
forms one os the planks in the
platferm adopted by the bloc at its
Organization meeting last week
Opposition en- the part OF Presi-
d mt Harding to any such change
in the constitution was expressed
BY a White House spokesman soon
after the senate agriculture com
naittee resolution was laid before
the senate and assigned to a place
on The calendar Of the senate.
Scnle administration leaders in
the senate likewise voiced their
disapproya, of the amendment and
tonight it appeared that any eff
forts by the bloc to press the pro-
posal might bring Oh fight which
would test the power ef the pro-
gressive faction.
The proposed amendment would
provide specifically that "the choice
of eaen state for president and
vice president has been determin-
ed at a general election Of the
qualified voters to cast their bal
lots directly Cor president and vice
president. Tie vote would be
canvassed by the serate and house
meeting IN joint session, each state
sbeing given as many votes for this
purpose as it has senators and rep
iresentatives.
| If such a canvass by states should
disclose lack of a, majority then
the president would be chosen by a
majority vote, of the house from
the persons having the highest
number not exceeding three. on the
list Of those voted for as presi-
dent
The vote for vice president would
be canvassed in similar manner.
except that in event of no choice
by "a majority of the voters the
senate would select that ofhcisl as
between the two persons. receiving
the largest number of. votes. :.
The committee in reporting the
amendment resolution through its
chairman. Senator Norris. pointed
out that the proposed system might
result IN the election of a press
dent and vice president from differ
Ient parties-"a matter of funda-
mental justice which ought to be
protected by law y should We
desire to do it.
The amendment would further
provide that the terms of senators
Iand representatives should begin
the first Monday in January follow
ling the biennial election and that
scongress should meet each year
ION that date. This would wipe
out the. session of the old congress
s:fter the biennial election.
Another amendment would
change the date of Inauguration of
the president from March to the
third Monday in January.
White House officials in present
ling President Harding's views on
the proposal represented the exc
cutive as feeling that constant
changes in the constitution were
unnecessary and in some cases un-
wise. Mr.. Harding. it was said. re-
garded the present procedure under
the constitution Whereby a pew
congress does not meet for more
than q year after its election as one
Iof the wisest steps taken by the
nations founding fathers. as ii al
lows passions to cool.
The agricultural committee in
t+s- yo,ort l,or,ox,oc +ool- ~, ~,
posite view. declaring "the present
condition of affairs is not only un-
fair to the citizenship at large VINO
have expressed their will as to. what
legislation they desire but it is
likewise uEtair to their servants
whom they hare elected to carry
out their viii
With respect to abolition Of the
electoral college the committee de-
eiared its amendment would make
1T possible for an independent can
didatc TO run for president without
establishing an elaborate political
machine in every state which means
the expenditure os VAST sum OF
money.
When the amendment and re-
port were laid before the senate
some members informaliy expressed
surprise at such a resolution be-
ing reported out by tho agriculture
committee but committee members
said they regarded the course as
proper inasmuch as the resolution
was q substitute for ono recently
offered in the senate by Senator