Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-06-22
ELECTION RESULTS
TOCOME NEW WAY
System of Sending MeSsen'
gers TO Capital Will Be
Abandoned.


DALLAS, Tex. June 22.--RepreSenta-
tive Hatton w. Summers, representing
this congressional district. at gather.
ing of political leaders and political
writers here. emphasized that AFTER the
campaign for President and vice Presl-
dent. the election returns will be trans
mitted officially to the Capital In oh-
ferent way than ever before.
Ii will be the first time SINCE tne OF
Sanization of our Government tnat mes
Sengers will not carry the returns to
Washington at great expense, Salo Mr
Summers, who is author OF the leglSta-
ton passed by Congress 10 eaect TINS
reform.
The custom of sending messengers
began under the first administration OF
Georse washington. when there was no
steamship. railroad or air delivery Serv-
Soe. ard when there was no quick regis
tered mail service The ones offcial!y
DESIGNATED to carry the returns to the
CAPITAL had to make tedious Journeys
by horseback or stage coach.
Method as Provided.
The method provided in the Constitu-
ton for election of the President and
Vice President never worked, Represent
ative Summers pointed out, and as
result there was developed All extra
constitutional method of election. 1t
was never contemplated by the found
irg fathers that the people should vote
for President. The people were to vote
for some wise persons. who would ger
together and elect the President and
Vice President.
II was not provided that they should
meet in a free conference, to discuss
candidates across the table, TO actually
come together and vote. But each
group was to meet in their respective
State. and. as provided in the Constitu-
ton as adopted, the man getting the
highest number Of votes would be Presi-
dent. ard the one VINO tried TO beat
him and couldn't would become Vice
President
II this method had been followed. for
example, when President Harding died
the successor would have been James
z Cox. his Democratic rival for the
presidency.
Congress Met Obstacles.
When the Second Congress met dur
ing the first administration of George
Washington and undertook to exercise
its powers under the Constitution and
formulate a plan for the election, 1t
found il could not DO so within its own
authority. but it provided instead that
the governors of the States shall issue
certificates of election of the electors
and that he shall transmit official
copies TO the Secretary Of State at the
seat Of Government.
But the Federal Government has no
jurisdiction over the governors of the
sovereign States. Representative Sum-
ners emphasized. ana cannot compel
the governors 10 act.
The governors realized the Federal
Governments position. so throughout
the history Of our Government they
have continued TO do as Congress told
them to do. although there was no au-
thority to compel them TO do so.
In this is found the first example TO
Americans of how an unwritten Con-
stifsltion is developed. The written
Constitution. providing for election of
a President and Vice President, fell into
disuse because ii was impracticable. and
there grew up outside of the Constitu-
ton o method of election that is work
able.
TTsis year there will be no more mes
sengerS. and this will be a saving TO
the Federal Government Of upward OF
se5.eoo. *.4