Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1924-08-14
INTERESTING POSSIBILITIES Of
THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
CAUSED BY BOB la TOILETTE

y no voting BY individuals in the
House, Moreover, each state has on
one vote. Rhede Islands vote
squalls that Of New York. The vote
st each state is determined by . ma
lority Of the Congressional Repreaen-
aatives in that state. This point
grasped let Il be remembered thak ths
'f'bloes" in several delegations hold
Ne balance of power. Thus the La
Follette- Wheeler candidacy becomes
something 70 be reckonad with.
Anyone familiar with the line up IN
.khe House last year can see how like
~ it is that neither Davis nor Cool
.idge would be able to obtain 8 ma
.5ority vote in the House in February.
"a deadlock is quite on the cards
b repetition Of the Democratic Ma
tional Convention, perhaps. until
March 4 1926. At that time the new
House comes into being, but THE
NEW HOUSE HAS NOTHING 10
DO WITH THE CHOICE OF AL
PRESIDENT.
In the event Of deadlock until the
disinteeration Of the present House,
the duty would pass to the Senate,
and here It must be remembered that
THE SENATE VOTES ONLY FOR
THE VICE PRESIDENT AND NOT
FOR THE PRESIDENT. If the coun-
by stands without President, then
hat office. being vacant, must BE-
Filled BY the man chosen - Vice
President BY the Senate.
At this point we read another elm
nation The Senate il limited 70
Fote for the two highest candidates.
30 the hklihood is the choice would
ie between General Dawes and Gov
'rnor Bryan.
Now we come to the Senate vote.
he Senate does not vote by states
Ike the House. The Senator's vote az
end ma3nriky vota ID.
Adea Tlse Snamse membership asslna
9, 80 votes would elect Vice- prssl.
ent, who would Immediately succeed |.
Q the Presidency, just as Coolidge !
ucceeded Harding as soon as the va !
ancv occurred. +.
In the present Senate there are 4S {
lemocrats 81 Republicans and two =
armer Laborites. These figures /,
'ould appear to ensure the election ].
Dawes providing there Is no change !
! the character of the Senate as
ssult Of the November elections, and .
roviding always that La Toilette !.
Guild not switch a number Of Re- .
abIiean Senators from the Coolidge :
awes ticket and procure votes for
ryan. The margin Is narrow, and
q Toilette might easily be the decid-
g factor. q
One need only go back to 1915 to ID
9 how delicate Is the present sltua- 7
IN. In that year the electoral col "
&c stood 277 for Wilson and 264 for b
uehes. A third party candidate b
ntrolIing for example, the 10 exec p
raj votes Of California. would have 81
rown that election into the House. "
w many electoral votes La Toilette fl
u control as result of the coming e.
seton is something for poIiticaI
'iters to figure on. II may be Il
nasthfng for the two dominant par
IS to consider seriously. :,
La Folletts supporters are claiming 4.
will carry between eight and six
IA states. II he carries only Wis
nsin. Minnssota, North Dakota y
nth Dakota and Montana, such re- -
Il would likely prevent either Cool
ge or Davis from winning the neces- 70
" majority Of 26e electoral votes n
to elect the President "a
en- fhe electoral vote Of any one tn
'ts might prevent majority.