The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1928-09-27
POPULAR VOTE DOES NOT ALWAYS
SETTLE THE PRESIDENCY

The candidate receiving the popular vote OF
the electorate of the United States is not always
chosen for President.
Each state has one vote in the electoral col
lege for it's congressman and two United States
Senators. Minnesota has 10 congressman and with
the Senators has IL votes in the electoral college,
The combined membership of the House and Senate
is sci making it necessary for the successful candl-
date to have 266 votes to win.
The electors from each state meet at the State
capitol the second Monday in January following the
November election. vote is taken and some men,
Der of the college is delegated to go to Washington
with the vote of the state Congress meets in joint
session the second Wednesday in February to can
vass the electoral college vote.
Usually, however, the candidate receiving the
popular vote becomes President In 1912 Wood
row Wilson received total of 6,286,214 votes
against the combined vote of Taft and Roosevelt of
7,6O9,942. In the electoral college Mr.. Wilson
had 4S5 votes against 90 for Taft and Roosevelt
In 1876 Mr.. Tilden, Democrat, received to-
tai of 4,3OO59O votes against 4,036,29S for Ruth
erford B Hayes, vet was defeated in the electoral
college by vote.
In 1888 Grover Cleveland received total
of 5,54O,329 votes against 5,439,s53 received by
Harrison In the electoral college Mr.. Harrison had
233 votes for 1913 for cleveland. AT that time the
total membership of Congress was only 4O1
In the 1924 election the Democrats carried IL
states, the solid South, including Oklahoma. Mr..
Cooidge's vote 15,725,016, against 1885,
sos for Davis, Democratic candidate, and 4,822,-
$50 for Robert LaFollette, Independent. Mr. La
Toilette carried the state of Wisconsin and Mis-
souri,.
In the campaign this year Gov. Smith has
many elements of strength Mr.. Davis; there
are also some glazing weaknesses. Some claim
4Lote of fbo coff ba o11aI Ecoli
South" will switch into the Hoover column. The
Herald doubts this, as the southerner is Demo-
GRAFT before he is anything else The Democrat
vote in these sections will be materially reduced.
Minnesota is placed in the doubtful column by
the supporters of Mr.. Smith. The Herald believes
that when the votes counted Mr.. Hoover will
be found to have carried the North Star state by
a satisfactory majority
Oklahoma was in the Democratic column in
1924 but it will very likely he found in the Repub-
ican fold this year. In 1924 Coolidge carried New
York by 100000. This is Gov. Smiths
home State Rural New York has always opposed
him. Good judges place New York in the doubt
full column. Mr.. Hoover can be elected President
without carrying New York, Mr.. Smith cannot.
Mr. Smith will complete his swing into the
West this week. In none of his addresses has he
outlined a definite farm program. He has always
lived in the industrial environment and it is not sur
prising that he hasn't a clear idea of what the
farmer needs. His Endorsement of the Underwood
tariff will not make him any votes; his stand on
prohibition is decidedly two edged sword In all
of his speeches he the defensive
Speaking of Prohibition, some appear to be-
ieve that if Smith is elected, beer will flow as free
ly of yore. At Omaha Mr.. Smith said that Pro-
hibition not of the real issues of the cam
paign calling attention to the fact that the Pres
ident of the United States is powerless to change
conditions.
The 18th amendment can only be changed by
resolution passing both houses of Congress by a