Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1924-08-14

anct conservative news p -
publishing on its first page story y
the effect that neither Coolidae nos
Davis nor La Toilette viii be eleesed
President Of the United States IN Ma
lvenber. AT first glance such q states
ment might seem outside the realns
of possibility. but the political sitna
tion is complex and the election ma
chinery such that L does not rsqslra
much imagination to foresee the naa
sibility. if not the probability, Of sues
situation. Almost anything mss
happen in November.
Turning the microscope on the pk
litical machinery we find there are
5SI votes in the Electoral Colle@s
The electoral college is composed az
electors from each state. equal il
number to the number Of senakora
and Representatives to which sha
state is entitled. For example, Nsw
York state has two Senator's and s8
Representatives. Therefore, Nsgs
York has fOrty-five votes in the else
toral college. The total membership
Of the electoral college equals Ghe
total membership Of the Senate aAa
House-531. In voting it win be =.
membered that the people vote sof
the electors Of their states, tAea&
names appearing on the ballot aaa
not for Coolidge or Davis or La rot
lette.
The Constitution provides that . /
majority Of these 5S1 electoral votse.
or 266s is necessary to the choice al y
President. The person having the
greatest number Of votes, Of cosras,
wins when there are only two cmnai-
dates in the field, but with thrae the
begin,
Here is the constitutional elaoAes I
'sThe person having the gFsa4Ssf
number Of votes Gin the Electoral Col
Iege) for Preaident shaI be the Prea-
ident, II such number be ma oEla# !
of the whole number OF electors ap-
pointed; and II no person having such !
majority, then from the persons hav-
ng the highest numbers, moi exceed 4
ng three. on the list Of those voted {
or as President, the House Of Rep
shall choose immediately 1
" ballot, the President
Now let us turn to the situation. If '
he candidate receiving merely the Q
argest number Of electoral votes Il
ould be chosen, then the entry OF r
"a Toilette into the field would be p
according to unbiased v
nd astute political judges. But this p
) not the case, and there are many {
'olitical observers who regard it as 3
ighly unlikely that majority Of the 1
lectoral vote win be won BY any Of Iir
he candidates
The second Monday following jan -
ary the electors in each state chos- Il
n at the November election meet in Ie
heir respective state capitois and de- =
lare for their candidates. The votes cS
i'll then be sent by messenger to the tc
resident Of the Senate in Washing II
N. They win be counted on the II
seond Wednesday IN February be- W
ire the joint session Of the House el
nd Senate. W
Then the result will be announced. 50
no candidate has a majority-twO I'll
undred and sixty-six votes--then the
ouse Of Representatives must inn hs
convene for the purpose of te
loosing President. The choice be- co
g limited to the three highest can 81
dates would mean that the House go
ouId have only the option Of ehoos- id
g one, either Davis, Coolidge or La sa
ollette ne
Here is where the election machin- e
y takes on a different color There ST