The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-01-13

-M8A~.NH "Whatl" you exclaim, as you
! possess NJ read that statement "Why,
E ssnH Nv thought we attended to that two
hIlnn0HEH months ago-on November s, 1882,
xtllllIlllHjER. to be exact, when the American
GJuHbp people voted Franklin d. Roose-
welt Of New York into office as President and
John N Garner Of Texas as Vice President"
AS a matter Of fact, they did nothing Of the
sort They only voted for group of men called
Presidential electors and these men presumably
have already voted for Roosevelt and Garner
for those offices. But the actual election does
not become official until the afternoon of Feb
ruary 8 when the two houses of congress meet
In joint session and go through the ceremony
Of counting the electoral votes and the Vice
President proclaims the fact that the Demo-
cratic candidates in the 1882 election had the
largest number of electoral votes and there's
fore will be indicted into office on March 4.
Like SO many other official ceremonies in gov
eminent, the February s election" is moth
ing but make-beieve and, under its 145-year~
old load of tradition and custom, Vice Presi-
dent Charles Curtis and Speaker John N. Garner
(hes speaker one minute and the next minute
he's Vice President y become companions in
hollow, but official, pretense Side by side and
in the presence of several hundred people, the
two leading candidates for Vice President win
act for 30 minutes as though the result of their
contest had not already been known for four
solemn dignity to the empty ceremony.
The only new thing about the whole business
will be two new boxes which carpenter, an
employee of the United States senate has be-
gun preparing soon after the November election.
They are made of the finest mahogany and
have brass handles. AS soon as they are fin
ished they are sent to the office of Vice Presi-
dent Curtis. where they will rest until 1t is time
to receive 48 huge envelopes which have ar
Wash fr1r$r Tom
These envelopes contain the votes of members
of the electoral college chosen on November 8
by citizens In the states from which the en-
velopes came
The only person in the United States who has
the authority to open those envelopes is the
president Of the senate tthe Vice President Of
the United States) and even he is not allowed
to learn their secret until the second Wednes-
day in February and then only In the presence
of the members of the two houses of congress.
But the legislative mill must grind out a
certain piece of legislation before even this can
be accomplished. So the first step necessary
to the election is taken when a minor senate
committee labors and brings forth resolution
which provides for the Joint session at which
the ballots are to be counted. Then the senate
adopts the resolution.
Soon thereafter, members of the senate line
up. two abreast and in the order of seniority.
Then, with dignity setting the pace, they start
the march from their chamber to that of the
house of representatives, located 500 feet in
the distance
Grim adherence TO the letter of the rules
would call for the Vice President to carry the
two ballot boxes at the head of the parade
with the secretary of the senate and the sergeant
alarms OF the senate step or so behind him.
The theory Is that the ballots must be in the
custody of the Vice President as president OF
the senate, and in his custody only, from the
time they arrive at the Capitol In practice how
ever. the vote-laden boxes are carried by two
boys-chosen from among the senate pages-who
march at the head Of the double line of senator's
-Four years ago the procession began to move
at "a minutes past noon, with arrival at the
house chamber by / o'clock Imperative Since
the affair has many years of guidance and ex-
perience behind it. the six-minute interval be-
tween the first shuffling of feet and arrival at
the destination may be regarded as an estab-
lished order
The votes and their very consequential es-
cort cause an initial stir at the entrance to the
house chamber when doorkeeper announces
to the speaker that the senate awaits The leg
islative equivalent of Tell them to come in"
brings the visiting contingent to occupancy Of
seats which are assigned under precisely
rules.
This stage of the proceedings win find Mr..
Curtis mounting the das at / o'clock on Feb
ruary s, there to take his place at the right
of the speaker, Thirty feet above, eyes of the
press and the galleried public win gaze at the
pair of men who went into November as OPP
posing political candidates and came out of that
month as victor and ynnqnished.
Election of the President and Vice President
for the next term of four years should be COM
pleted within half an hour. In 1929, the Job
was completed and the senate was back In It's