The Winslow mail., 1924-08-29
MAYBE NEITHER
COOL|DCE:,DAv|S
NORLAFO[LETTE


Wis nor La Toilette will be elected
president of the United States in No
vember. At first glance such state
ment may seem outside the realm Of
possibility, but the political situation
is complex and the election machinery
is such that it does not require much
Imagination to foresee the possibility,
if not the probab ability, of such situa-
ton Almost anything may happen
in November.
Turning the michoscope on the pol
itical machinery we find there are
531 votes in the electoral college. The
electoral college is composed of cleo
tors from each state, equa in number
to the number of senators and repre-
sentatives to which the state is en-
titled. For example, New York state
has two senators and 43 representa-
tives Therefore New York has 40
votes in the electoral college. Arizona
has two senators and one representa-
tive, therefore three votes in the cleo
toral college, The total membership
of the electoral college equals the to-
tai membership of the senate and
house, 531 In voting it will be re-
membered that the the people vote for
the electors of their states, these
names appearing on the ballot, and
not for the candidate for president
himself, neither Davis, La Follette's
nor Coolidge's name appearing there
on.
The constitution provides that
majority of these 531 electoral votes,
or 266, is necessary to the choice OF
a president The person having the
greatest number of votes, of course,
wins when there are only two candi-
dates in the field, but with three the
complexities begin.
Here is the constitutional clause:
"The person having the greatest
number of votes lin the electoral col
lege) for president shall be the pres
ident, if such number be majority of
the whole number of electors appoint
ed, and if no person having such ma
jority, then from the persons having
the highest numbers, not exceeding
three, on the list of those voted for
president, the house representatives
snail choose Uy DdllOt
the president"
Now let us turn to the situation. Ii
the candidate receiving merely the
largest number of electoral votes
could be chosen, then the entry Of La
Toilette into the field would be un-
important, according to unbiased and
astute political judges. But this is
not the case, and there are many pol
itical observers who regard it as high
ly unlikely that a majority of the
electoral vote will be won by any of
the candidates.
The second Monday following jan
uary the electors in each state chosen
at the November election meet in
their respective state capitols and de-
clare for their candidates. The votes
will then be sent by messenger to the
president of the senate in Washing
ton. They will be counted on the sec
ond Wednesday in February before the
Joint session of the house and senate
Then the result will be announced
If no candidate has a majority-two
hundred and siXty-six votes-then the
house of representatives must imme-
diately convene for the purpose of
choosing a president. The choice be-
ing limited to the three highest can
didates would mean that the house
would have only the option of choos-
ing one, either Davis, Coolidge or La
Toilette.
Here is where the election machin-
cry takes on a different color. There
is no voting by individuals in the
house Moreover, each state has only
- Ari1o ,ofC nfn 1c n
of New York The vote of each state
is determined by majority Of the
congressional representatives in that
state. This point grasped let it be
remembered that the "blocs" in sew
eral delegations hold the balance Of
power. Thus the Observation-Disclosures
candidacy becomes something to be
reCkoned with.
Anyone familiar with the lineup in
the house last year can see how like
ly it is that neither Davis nor Cool
idge would be able to obtain a major
ity vote in the house in February. A
deadlock is quite on the cards-a rep
etition of the democratic national con-
vention, perhaps, until March 4, 1926.
At that time the new house comes into
being, but-and this is important to
remember-the new house has moth
ing to do with the choice of a presi-
dent.
In the event of deadlock until the
disintegration 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-presi-
dent and not for the president If the
country stands without president,
then, that office being vacant, must
be filled by the man chosen as vice
president by the senate.
At this point we read another elm
nation The senate is limited to vote
for the two highest candidates. So the
likelihood is the choice would lie be-
tween General Dawes and Governor
Bryan.
Now we come to the senate vote
yn4n Nv a fox