Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1924-08-07
Unusual Political Situation Makes
Possible a Final Presidential
Choice by Senate of Eth
er Bryan or Dawes
Written Specially for The Leader
By EDWARD PERCY HOWARD
Thru Autocaster Service)


Fancy conservative news
per publishing on its first page
"a story to the effect that neither
Coolidge nor Davis nor La Fol
lette may be elected President OF
the United States in November
At first glance such a statement
might seem outside the realm OF
possibility, but the political stu
alton is complex and the election
machinery such that it does not
require much imagination to fore
see the possibility, if not the pro-
liability, of such a situation. Al
most anything may happen in
November.
There are 531 votes in the E1ector-
al College. The electoral college is
composed of electors from each state
equal in number to the number. OF
Senators and Representatives to which
the state is entitled. For example
New York state has two Senators and
43 Representatives. Therefore New
York has forty-hve votes in the cleo
toral college. The total membership OF
the electoral equals the total member
ship of the Senate and House-531. In
voting it will be remembered that the
people vote for the electors of their
states, these names appearing on the
ballot, and not those of Coolidge or
Davis or La Toilette.
The Constitution provides that a
majority of these electoral votes OF
zoo, is necessary to- the choice of a
President. The person having the
greatest number of votes, of course,
wins when there are only two CAIN
didates in the field, but with three, the
complexities begin.
Here is the constitutional clause:
"The person having the greatest
number of votes Gin the Electoral
College) for President shall be the
President if such number be ma
iority of the whole number of cleo
tors appointed; and if mo person hay
ing such majority, then. from the
persons having the highest numbers,
not exceeding three, on the list OF
those voted for as President, the
House of Representatives shall
choose Immediately by ballot, the
President"
Electing a President
Now let us turn ito the situation.
IF 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 political
observers who regard it as highly I'M.
likely that majority of the electoral
vote will be won by. any OF the can
didates.
The second Monday following jan
uary the electors in each state chosen
at the November election meet III
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 annouced.
If no candidate has maJorlty-tWo
hundred and sixty-six votes-then the
House of Representatives must lmme.
diatelv 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.
How House Votes
Here is where the election machln-
erv takes on a different color. There
is no voting by individuals IN the
House. Moreover, each state has only
one vote. Rhode Islands vote equals
that of New York The vote of each
state is determined by a majority OF
the Congressional Representatives IN
that state. This point grasped let 1t
he remembered that "blocs" in sever.
al delegations hold the balance OF
nower. Thus the La Toilette Wheel
er candidacy becomes something to
he reckoned with.
Anyone familiar with the line. up
in the House last year can see now
like1v it is that neither Davis nor
Coolidge would be able to Obtain a
majority vote in the House IN Feb
r,arv A deadlock is quite on the
cards. repetition of the Democrati:S;
National Convention, perhaps, until
March a, 1925. At that time the new
House comes into being, but The
NEW HOUSE HAS NOTHING
TO DO WITH THE CHOICE Of