Year: 1876

ciutu, III Dotu Oulo ana luulHna snaii Hn'o
been carried by the same political party.
But if the republicans win in one State and
the democrats in the other there will be
more strenuous contest in the few doubtful
States on which the Presidential election will
then turn than has ever been witnessed in
York will be the main battle ground, because
its thirty-fve electoral votes will probably
turn the scale.


We believe that the State elections which
Immediately precede Presidential election
have malign and corrupting influence in
our politics. They are to be deprecated from
every point of view. They engulf all State
questions in the maelstrom of federal
politics, and give two or three States
disproportionate power in national
affairs. If Ohio and Indiana should both
60 republican or both 60 democratic these
two States will really choose the President,
making the country at large mere register
ing body to record their political verdict.
There is no fairness in lodging so much power
in two or three Of the thirty-eight States,
and enabling them to decide the Presidential
election for the whole Unicn We are con-
fident that this unfair advantage can be of
no long duration. We are encouraged to be-
that SO much progress has been made since
the last Presidential election. Pennsylvania
has made voluntary surrender of her old
position by constitutional amendment
transferring her State election from October
to November. Since 1872 North Carolina,
Connecticut and Nebraska have also amend
ed their constitutions, and fxed their
State elections on tho same day when
all the Presidential electors are re-
quircd to be chosen. Ohio also at
tempted the same reform in the amended
constitution which was submitted to the
vote Of her people in August, 1874. That
constitution was rejected for purely local
reasons, but whenever similar attempt is
made Ohio will change the day of her State
election. We trust and expect that before
the Presidential election of 1880 all the
States will choose their members of Con-
gress and State officers on the same day, and
that no member of tho Union will have any
advantage over its fellow members in the
national contest. Congress did it's part
toward this important reform by the act of
1872, requiring all members of the Forty
fifth and every succeeding Congress to be
chosen on the Tuesday following the first
Monday in November. 1t is owing, in
great m measure, to that law Of Congress that
SO much progress has been made toward uni
formity within the last four years. I'm
fortunately, however. m act was passed
March 3, 1875, modifying the law of
1872, $50 as not to apply to any State
that has not yet changed its day of
election, and whose constitution must be
changed in order to effect change in the
day of the election of State officers in said
State" This relaxation only postpones the
completion Of reform which is in full
progress. New Hampshire, which was
not bound by constitutional restrictions,
changed the day Of her State election ut the
last session of her Legislature. Ohio, Inth-
ana and Maine are the only States in which
the change remains to be made, and we are
encouraged to believe that this is the last of
our Presidential elections in which particu-
lar States will have a political weight be-
yond that to which they are entitled by their
population.


4. 1T is for the interest of the States con-
cerned, as we'll MS for the general interest,
that they should surrender this unfair ad-
vantage in national politics. The only
reason that was ever assigned, or that-ever
can be assigned, for holding State elections
on different day from the Presidential
election, is the expediency Of separating
local from national affairs. But experience
proves that there is no such certain method
of swamping all State interests in federal
immediate advance Of the Presidential con-
test. During the heated canvass which is
now closing IN the important October States
both the native speakers and the great invad-
ing army Of stump orators on both sides have
dwelt on national issues to the exclusion of
State questions. State interests have no
chance to get hearing in the mighty irrup-
ton Of federal politics which deluges such
States on the eve Of Presidential election.
Such States are exposed to another evil of
no small agnitude-namely, the colonial
ton of illegal voters. 1t is industriously
charged by both parties in Indiana that
their opponents arc engaged in gigantic
attempt to import bogus voters from other
States to control the result. Even if these
mutual charges are calumnies they poison
the political atmosphere but if they are
true they demonstrate the evil effects
of holding elections on different days
IN neighboring States. If all the States held
their important elections on the same day
there would be no danger of colonization,
because both parties in every State would
need oil their voters ut home. lie. us hope
that before the Presidential election of 1880
the snall residue of strnpQlinr States will