The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-02-08
MINORITY DIFFERENTIATION.


10 mankind.
Nj. Mill says: "In the old DemocrAcies
there were 10 means Of keeping cut Of sight
any able man; be needed nobody's consent to
become public adviser. X 10 DOT % in 9
representative government; and the best
friends Of representative democracy can
hardly be without misgivIngs, that the The
mistocleS and Demosthenes whose counsels
would have saved the nation might be una
Die during his whole life even to obtain .
seat"
Under that system by which two great
parties, swapping the identity of their linda
vidual members, control the Legislation Of
the country, the most disastrous conse-
quences must result. Experience has proved
that the most lmpulsive. wrong-headed aad
time-serung men ultimately get the control
Of every such party. Such has bsen the
fate Of the Wing, the Democratic, and we
may say, Of the Republican party. As pro-
fassional politicians, through the ring, she
packed convention, the caucus and the lob
by, acquire the control, the really good men
Of tue party gradually retire from view. BY
misrepresentation and by .appeals to the
worst passions, the mass are for while Kept
10 the party traces by those who divide the
spois, until finally the leaders are no longer
followed and the reaction occurs: then the
other party acquires power; its professional
political hacks get the control, aud pursue q
similar course, with like results, and in the
meantime the country, with its great inter
ests, like the shuttle-cock, is tbs playthinE
Of contending factions. The great interests
Of the country are seldom represented either
in state or national legislatures
The members Of these bodies are mostly
either ignorant Or dishonest, or both the one
and the other. They are too often but the
servants or the puppets Of the lobby. In
watching the proceedings Of our Legislatures
one il almost ready to despair Of the rePub-
iean system.
is there remedY2 Can we reasonably
hope that the true representatives OF the
people will ever again meet in council, bring
ing with them the united wisdom and hon
esty Of the couDtryi Under our present
system u electing representatives, the
whole voting population is separated into
two great parties, compelling forced and IN
natural uniformity If view, intensityin9 p ar
tisan conflicts, and giving undue power TO
small maJorities.
2 The rights of minorities, however res
respected.
3, The best, WISE and most original
minds # the country are condemned TO pFi-
yate life, and nearly all the prizes Of high
public station are given to available meliOc-
rates.
4. Our legislative halls are Allied with pur-
chasa5le representatives, who, in spite Of
their known unworthiness, are kept in OH.
cial position by ignorant or Indifferent con-
stituencies.
8. The present system has given birth to
the convention, the caucus, the lobby and
the Ting-iTresponsib.e bodies, unknown to
the Constitution, yet oftentimes far more
powerful in controlling legislation than wise
.--vlic opinion.
6. II incites % den.g3gueism-that u, to
uuwise and hurtful adulaf-ion Of the people,
makes the majorites intoiessat ana tyrssis-
al, and compels an unwholesome uniformity
Of view and action at time when debate and
opposition are noedful to form 4 correct pub
lie sentiment. :.
These evils are not by any means eoaA0sd
to our own countr;T,. tthtey are found, 70 some
extent. Ii all countries where the democratic
element exists, where elections art held. In
England this subject has received far more
attention than with Us. 10 England also,
have been originated the two most note
worthy of reform measures, namely: the
so-called 'cunulatiye vote," and the famous
scheme Of Mr., Hare.
The recent reform agitation in Great Brit
ain has again brought into notice Mr.. Hare's
plan, and the strong endorsement Of il BY
John Stuart Mil, aud the coEent arguments
which that eminent writer has urged
adoption 10 the governments Of
. . tlnslfsE 70 most weil-read melssl .,ut |
now all the signs Of the tires indicate that |
the whole subject is to be discussed, not |
alone BY men Of letters, but By political eau !
cuses, conventions, corporations, Congress-,
and Parliament
The principle has been Incorporated In the
Reform Bill which has recently beceme q
law in England; and the subject has been
preached in the New York constitutional |
conyshtion, and is strongly urged by some
Of the ablest men and influential papers Of
the State. 1t is denounced by all political
hacks and professional politicians, for the .
reason that upon its Inauguration their vo-
cation viii be gone. We shall now briefly des-
crlhe the proposed correctiVes Of the ins-
quality in representation.
Aho cumulative vote" is simply scheme
to afford proper representation of minori-
ties while Mr.. Hare's plan aims at doing
ar more; hence the two must not be cOn- /,
founded, although they are nearly allied.
The cumulative vote proper, a. urged n D
England, Is very simple affair. We have
an instance Of it in iss crudsst form, in Ihe
manner IN which delegates were elected at
large, to the constitutional CONVENTION IN
the State Of New York, during he past
year.
Ii was first proposed 10 Engiapd BY Lsri
JOIN Russell in 1854 His proposition uaA, /