Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-23


of the sort, and only little more thai
80 per cent of their votes in each Stat
will be accepted, while the rest ar
thrown in the discard under the "uni
rule"
They are voting for electors" who II
each State equal the, total number O
Senators and Representatives to which
that State is entitled in Congress, ant
in the present election, due to the fail
IRE OF Congress to reapportion, SOM
eight StateS-California Michigan, Ohio
Connecticut, New Jersey, North Care
lima, Texas and WaShington-are no
getting their fair share of electors a.
the Constitution intended, while /
StateS-MlsSouri, Indiana. Iowa, Kansas
Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi
Nebraska, Rhode Island and Vermont
are getting more than their fair relativ,
share of votes in the electoral college.
The threat has been made-but vii
probably not be carried QUITO protes
the vote of the electoral college in tbs
Hoover VS. Smith campaign on tht
ground that it is unconstitutional OF
this account.
This matter was brought to the at.
tention of Congress by Representative
Clarence J. McLoud of Michigan anc
an interesting hearing was held by thu
House elections committee on May Is
last.
The electoral college was established
by article 2, section l, clause 2 of the
Constitution. and approved by the
twelfth amendment after the Jefferson
Burr deadlock. William Tyler Page
clerk of the House and an authority on
the work of the founding fathers" ex-
plains that when the Constitution
makers came to the question of how the
President should be elected they had in
mind, and had, in fact, created, repub-
lie as distinguished from a pure dernoc-
racy, or direct election by the people
"A majority of. the trainers wanted a
republican form of government, and
they deliberately adopted such a form
10 get away from the alternatives OF
monarchy or pure democracy as Illus
trated in history. They arranged for
election through a representative sys-
tenn, just as the lawmaking is done
Through a representative system rather
than by initiative and referendum.
Protection of Small Units.
They had in mind the protection of
the units that make up the Republic, to
protect the small against the great. If
the people elected, a great State like
New York or Pennsylvania might domi-
nate and impose its will on the small
States. The idea was to distribute the
elective power among the States so that
the. small communities might express
their will in voting strength against
the greater communities.
This method of electing the Chief
Executive was intended to place abso-
lutte control of the choice of President
In small body of citizens carefully Sc
lecteo by the several States-to avoid,
on the one hand, the popular tumult
and passion that direct election by the
people might involve, and, on the other
hand, the legislative domination of the
Executive by the Congress.
1t was thought that each State group
would be unaware of the decision of the
others. Time proved this to be more
theoretical than practical. There were
then no political parties as now. Electors
voted as they pleased-they were indie
pendent, unpledged and voted in secret.
But by and by they became dominated,
first by caucuses and then by conven-
items, until they became automatons to
register the party will.
The party spirit first manifested itself
in John Adams time, and today presi-
dental elector who should fail to cast
his vote for his party's nominee would
become infamous. Thousands have kent
faith and not one has failed to vote for
his partys candidate It is recorded
that three electors voted for John Adams
against their party and that one Fed
eTaliSt elector in Pennsylvania voted for
Jefferson, but this was before the party
system as we understand it came into
being.
The Electoral College.
The title electoral college" was first
used about the year 1900. and in 1545
appeared in legislation, and is therefore
an official term. The only limitation
imposed by the Constitution on the
electors was that they should not be in
the service of the United States.
John Adams became Vice President
In 1889, though he did not receive half
the votes. He presided at the electoral
count in 1897, and it has been incor-
rectly stated frequently that he counted
the votes that made him President. The
custom had been established and was
sthen followed of counting the votes by
tellers representing the Senate and
House. Adams opened the certificates
as filed by the States and handed them
sto the tellers, who reported the result
adams declared the result showing him
tself elected President. The only time
the president Of the Senate ever counted
the votes was in the First Congress
when George Washington was elected
!John Langdon of Virginia, president of
4the Senate, was empowered by a reso-
Tuition Of the Continental Congress to
count the electoral votes.
In 1900 Thomas Jefferson, a Repub-
lean, and Aaron Burr, FederaliSt, re-
.ceived the same number of votes-73-
and each majority. 1t was we'll known
the electors desired jefferson for Presi-
dent and Burr for Vice President This
demonstrated the unWisdom of voting
for both President and Vice President
upon the same ballot, the one receiving
the largest vote to be President and the
second largest Vice President. 1t also
proved the possibility of electing Pres
1dent from one party and the Vice Pres
ident from another party. The Jeffer-
son-Burr controversy threatened a dis
solution of the Government. This was
the first time a presidential election was
thrown into the House of Representa-
tives, and it nearly wrecked the young
republic.
This led to the adoption of the twelfth
amendment to the Constitution in 1904
under which we now elect a President
and While it is vastly better than the
old provision, time has proved its in.
adequacy.
The second and last time an election
was thrown into the House of Repre-
sentatives was in 1924. In the electoral
college were 1872 votes, of which Andrew
Jackson. who had defeated John Quincy
Adams by more than $4,000 popular
votes, had 80. Adams "a, William H
Crawford Al and Henry Clay 81. Jack
son. obviously the choice of the people
aid not have the majority required b!
che Constitution and the election wal
1hrown into the House.
Eerrv CLAY was then Speaker of tn,
House Before the day of counting tn,
| votes a great scandal arose Charges o
| corruption were made against Clay
q URN we're investigated without result
The situation invited intrigue, excite
tment ran high. coalition between thu
Followers of Clay and those of Adam
Aresulted irr the election of Adams on tn,
s51rst ballot. repudiating the wishes of tn
! people, making Adams President by
( ( 4,oII of IL to z