THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11763, 29 July 1916, Page 8

THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY.

The election of a President for the United States, which will take place i.'> November next, is one of the greatest contradictions of democratic govern meint that could bo conceived. By then very constitution us a republic the people of America are debarred from the direct choice of their supremo ruler and figurehead. To the British people, who are accustomed to hear so much of Democracy, and its rough and ready ways, this sounds very strange. Vet the fact is that the Americans in this matter are not nearly so democratic as they seem. The President is chosen not by their in dividual votes, but at what is called an Electoral College, to which each State sends its representatives. These representatives are supposed to bo free and' independent, but Jn actual practice they simply vote for the candidates they may have nominated in the course of the election. They would bo quite with in their rights to change their minds, but there is no record of this ever having occurred. WHO IS ELIGIBLE. To begin with, no one is eligible for election as President except a naturalborn citizen of the United States, and provision is made against the ascendancy of any young Wdliam Pitts by the stipulation that the aspirant for the high office must have attained the age of thirty-fivo years. Tire position is like that of no other ruler in the world. After being elected the President is virtually independent of Congress and public opinion. He cannot be deposed, as the Prime Minister in this country may be, by a hostile vote in the House of Commons. The salary attached to the post is only £IO,OOO a year, but then Americans do not look for Court splendour in the life of their Premier-Sovereigns as the people of England and other European monarchies do. Like the President himself the House of Representatives is elected for four years, and the Senate for six, so it sometimes happens that though the head of the Republic has one of the Houses of the saint- mind as himself, the other is hostile.

A Presidential election in the State has been said to begin the day after tho previous one has closed. The party managers lay their plans, and begin to consider reorganisation. That may be an exaggeration, but certain it is that the active campaign commences a yeai before the President is actually elected by the College m November. AN ELECTION FESTIVAL. The national nominating Convention is the great festival of the election, and to be elected a de.egate is one of the prize* of the local politician. the enoosing of tho delegates was formerly done by local Conventions. The party leaders in each Congressional district would summon a meeting to. elect its two delegates, and the party leaders in tho State would summon a State Convention to elect the delegates at large, usually the four delegates corresponding to the two Senators. In some States, especially in the south, this system still obtains, but in the majority there are now " Presidential primaries." That is to say, the voters of the parties choose by ballot delegates whom they may "instruct" to support a specific candidate at the Convention. The change, which came before the election of 1912, was duo to the widespread and often justifiable feeling that under the Convention system the professional politician and the Centrol or National Committees of the parties, through their local representatives, muffled tho popular will. The delegates to the National Conventions number in all nearly a tlna sand, but people that come in their train bring the gathering up to 15,000 or even 20,000. The delegates travel with bands and banners,' they are accompanied by wirepullers and enthusiastic politicians, and the hangers-on that are a feature of American politics. Then there is tin- regiment of women who crowd the galleries while the Convention sits, and make gay the whole town while the gathering lasts. Hundreds of reporters and newspaper artists record the proceedings. All this means great g?in for the city which has the nonottr of entertaining the Convention, and the hotclkeepers make little fortunes in a few days. So great is tho competition of the various big towns to secure the Convention of either party that they eagerly outbid each other with substantial " arguments" which tha committee in charge of the party war chest can appreciate. The enormous crowd can seldom be housed in any of the public building 3 possessed by the cities visited, and tempoiary erections to hold 20,000 people nave- to be set up. To regulate their movement 2000 sergeants-at-arms ar3 generally required, reinforced by 500 policemen, so exuberant is tho American politician I

Sometimes the delegates to the Convention are instructed as to how they shall vote, and sometimes they are allowed a free hand. The party managers meet together and by compromise and trimming draw up a programme on which the contest is to he fought. This is generally adopted without much trouble by the Convention. Then comes the choice of a cand ; date. Some State mnv have one to nominate, but usually this also k well regulated hv the Mamging Committer and with duo ceremony, oratory, flag-waving, balloting planting, the candidate is eventually decided upon. Members of Convention next proceed

HOW THE ELECTION IS CONDUCTED.

CONTRADICTION OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT.

from labour to pleasure, and enjoyment '» to be had in abundance at hundreds of party clubs in the town whore they nieet. Ihe actual work of the campaign is left in the hands of the manti'.ers. Orators are engaged by the hundred to .stump the vast territory of the State.;; campaign literature has to bo written and printed in all iho tongues that, are from the Atlantic to the Pacific Slope ; organisation oi' all kinds has to be perfected It is sad that ten thousand politicians get their living out of the election one way or another. Many secure posts while delegates to Convention bv the promise of their vote in the nomination of a particular candidate. Others are certain of employment by the Government if their man wins; even if ho loses they are not wholly unremunerated. Long before the election is in full swing minor orators go on the stump in every State, in every town and village, in every street and square, practising the gentle art of " spellbinder." Any man who can talk from a platform need not lack employment ia the midst of a Presidential election. Husiriess men and bankers hold meetings by day, the clubs have processions nt night, and the grimy inhabitants of tho alleys and slums are roused by the patriotic demagogues as they stand by their doors in the evening. Tho politicians do not wait for the people lo oome and learn; they go to the people and teach them and try to cob viace them if they can.

LITERARY BOOMING. When there is a general election ti> th.s country wo have a fair supply of literature of one kind and another, but noth.ng to compare with what is prorid''] for the electors in tho States. EuJu party establishes a bureau, which controls the publications on behalf of its candidate.. It may publish a newspaper entiroly devoted to his interests, oat a more important work is the provision of "copy" for existing newspapers favourable to the party. Smart paragraphs, articles, leaders, cartoons, reports of speeches, attacks on opponents are sent out in desired quantity. All the party papers are received, and any good point made in a Western paper is taken and copied for the benefit of Eastern journals, and vice versa. A staff of clever writers are kept busv demolishing the programme and promises of the other side, and setting all tao arguments in favour of their own man in the most favourable light. This must be done with some discretion Different States hold different ideas ort the same subject, and local prejudices must be carefully handled. Kor in.sta.ico, a pamphlet or article on silver would not serve the same purpose in New York State as it would in Nevada. Imperialism has to be dealt with in a uiiremit way in different parts of the country on behalf of the same cjandidjate. Agajn, there are the various races to be considered. The literature has to he translated into all the Languages of Europe, so that the now population tint has not yet learned English, and may never do so, may assimilate the principles of freedom and democracy as purveyed by tlie respective parties. MONEY FREELY SPENT.

Of course, all this costs monev and lots of it. In ordinary campaigns the Central Committee of each party will

spend a quarter of a million sterling, not to speak of what the. State ann smaller organisations may dispense. But it is not unusual for each side to sp'Htd as much as a million sterling! 'i Iwe is (seldom any want of funds Money, like other things in America, " talks," and can hu bought. Th<* "Bosses" know, where to lay their hands on as much as they require. There is this similarity between English elections and the election of a President for the United States. You can never bo sure of the result until the votes are counted 1 Take the case of Mr Blaine, who ran for the Presidency in ISS4, as example. All was going well and the polling day was in sight, with victory predicted for him on every hand. Then a deputation waited on Mr Blaine, and he made a speech. In returning thanks a parson, with a taste for alliteration, remarked that the return of Mr Blains would mean a defeat for the forces of rum. rebellion and Romanism! K was a fine conceit, but it lost Mr Blaine the election- The opposite party took it up, printed the remark on huge posters, and scattered them through every town in the States. The forces of rum," rebellion and Romanism were insulted and infuriated. " Southern gentlemen," who wore proud to bo rebels not so long before, turned over to the other side. The saloon keepers, always an influential class, deserted Blaine in a bedy, and the Roman Catholics followed suit. It was a triumph for a clever electioneer, who had his machinery in order. That is American all over; arid it is one of the many devices that may be resorted to in the heat of a Presidential election. Tho contest on this occasion is unique, and will rank as one of the most memorable in the history of the States.