The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-08-20
BAL
POPULAR
VOTE
Ballots for Minority" Presi-
dents, Including Woodrow
Wilson, Recalled
BY WTLLIAM HARD.

There is little doubt that the
United States in the choosing of
its chief magistrate has devised
the most. complicated system ex-
listing anywhere in the world for
any such purpose. It's intricacy
is such that millions Of citizens,
while they take part in operating
II, have only the vaguest and
most limited acquaintance with
the strange possibilities that lie
within it.
They forget, for instance, that
any State Legislature in this
country, if it wishes to do so,
may take away from the citizens
of its State the opportunity to
vote for presidential electors at
the polls and may proceed to
name that States electors itself.
Done BY Florida.
This was done by the legislature
Of Florida in 1864. 1t was done
by the legislatures of numerous
States throughout the whole early
period of our history
Not till 1868 was there ever in
the United States presidential
election in which, the choosing of
ELECTORS was done BY the people
themselves in every state Of the
whole union.
legislature. If it wishes to do so,
|WNnn ~ \.
districts instead of having them
chosen in one statewide lump.
Customarily they are chosen in
|one lump and then all Of the
electoral votes from any given
State get customarily given to one
political party and to one set OF
In 1892, however, in the state of
Michigan, there arose the following
situation:
The State legislature, by a pass.
ing chance, was Democratic. The
State as a whole was undoubtedly
Republican. 1t nevertheless con-
tanned some Democratic districts,
That, was the situation. !. The Demo
cratic legislature thereupon acted
accordingly. a.
1t ordered the election ITO be held
by districts. The result was nine
Republican electors ar,d five. Demo
cratic electors from Michigan that
year.
Any State legislature which hap
pens to be passingiy captured by
the minority party in the state can
constitutionally do this sort OF thing
whenever it pleases.
Great Powers Recalled.
Our system contains within itself
throughout its whole inward nature
Renaissance after "Reminiscences Of
the great powers which had 10 be
given to the States and to the State
legiSla lures by the makers of our
Constitution in order to secure the
approval and adoption Of It by the
original American thirteen Common
wealihs.
In 1879 more people voted for
Tilden than for Hayes; but Hayes
got more electoral votes and be.
came President. In 1892 more
people voted for Cleveland than for
Harrison but Harrison was the
electoral victor.
Every State as a State, and be-
cause of being a State, gets two
electoral votes to correspond to it's
two senator's in addition to the
electoral votes which. it gets in pro
portion to it's population as evil
denced by the apportionment of
seats in the lower house of Con. |
gress.
Power of Small States
This excess power thus granted |
to the smaller States is not likely |
ever to be withdrawn from them.
We have five. States-Arizona, |
Delaware, Nevada, New Mexico and |
Wyoming-so small that they have |
only one representative in the lower J
house of Congress.
We have five more States-Idaho,
Montana, New Hampshire, Utah, !
and Vermont-which are so small |
that they have only two representa- !
tives in the lower house of Con-
gress. ~
I'VE have four more States-Norta |
D6kota, Oregon, Rhode Island and |
South Dakota-which have only |
three representatives. These States |
together total fourteen.
= Thirteen States are sufficient to |
prevent any amending of the Con-
stitution. We have fourteen States |
which enormously profit-in power
by the present situation.
Therefore. 1t is situation which |
cannot be changed except through
some sort of bargaining and trad
ing, the opportunity for which has
never arisen.
The small States seem likely to