New Britain herald., 1924-08-04
nh lnAslLlI LInAAL MlAAh

saasilsf eRe sf the high lights in th
 rgsolatieR Rassed hf 'hs swedish
 AWsEioaa keRabiiean Stats League T
 AfN britain saturday,
 Hbe resolution ienonnced the la
 FailettB Ticket as sreprrsenltng eae
 nies of 9aiF constituted authority
 a4a sought 10 prrlenl 4 popular eiee
 iieN of pFesiisnt bg preventing ahl
 candidate from ahiainins a mainrltl
 iR ihe eiretoFal collrgs,
 iR such 8 ease all that these ene-
 mis of constituted authority could il
 wau}d As ta deRend uPoH ths dulg
 flfelrd members af congress h select
 pft sident according 10 fhe methods
 laid aaan ih ths constitution of lhe
 taiisd States.
 ! Nhsn The iai'ollclc politicians set [ out to throw Inc eleelien into congress
 they ars merely takins advantage of The rules and regulations laid down in ' inc constitutions f such q system were
 Hot in the constitution neither I.as Toilette nor any other third party
 ssplfant could take advantage of fl,
 The major political parties hasa
 been guardians Of the constitution. holding it forth AS the hulwark Of our national cohesion and liberties, which indeed il is, The LaFoltette third
 party--or any other third party cannot be accused Of being an enemy 10 constituted authority If il relies upon the constitution as an aid in its drive against the old line parties.
 The popular election Of q president could be defeated without inc ma ehlnation of A third party, With only two candidates in the field, there could b. such A difference between the vote in the electoral college and the popu- lar majority as 10 elect the man with the lower popular vote but having the higher vote in the electoral college, Ii would depend altogether upon what states were carried by the candidates and by what maiorities. If a winning eandidate-popular totals considered won some states by overwhelming majoriiias, and lost certain of the re- mainder by small ma iorities. his | popular naiority might be relatively i far above his electoral college ma jority; and in certain combinations of states won or lost. he could lose the election in the electoral college despite his popular majority.
 This, in fact happened in the elec- ton 1876, when there was miniature third party-the "Greenback" party which only boiled 100000 votes. Til- den had a popular plurality over Hayes of 250,o00 so that had all the "Greenback" votes gone ato Hayes popular plurality would still have remained 150, 900. Bnt in the electoral college Tildcn appeared to have o03 votes and Hayes 16s. The resulting political chaos is history, likewise the fact that Hayes, the Re- candidate, finally was chosen president by special electoral com of Is members-seyen Re- ,nblicans, seven Democrats and one who happened to be In regular Democratic territory one can still read occasional references in the newspapers regard ng how the election was stolen rom Tilden although it is generally lnown that had the negroes been per- nitted to vote in certain southern ;tates--a privilege that it is said many 10 not enjoy to this day-Hayes would lave had a popular and electoral ma . ority in the first place. .
 The truth is that the electoral co- ege system provided by the constitu- ion could be radically amended with tdpantage to the country. Such plan i, las often been discussed, but no agi- ation in this direction has been suf- lciently sustained to bring about such n attempt although the section was nce amended in a minor manner. he general belief has been that under ormal conditions the electoral col ege system, which was grafted on the constitution from the manner of elect 1g th2pope, worked very well. But c he present campaign is abnormal, .ith a strong third party candidate in ne field who at all events will poll |, iany more votes than the Green ack" party did in 1876. If after the resent election the electoral college ? ,ction of the constitution Is not nended it Will be because the third lrty with its friends, have sufficient 6 rength in congress to prevent 1t. s' ter the experience of 1924 it is fought probable that the two old line f, arties will be willing to take action. tc xperience will be vigorous teacher