The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-09-26

congress Tor o. he lssislaturs q IL
state a. the oaee may bel; n howsvss, W
reason Of his having more than . quslA -
lesa than qaeta, ~ 4 nusbls y a. ~
vots and rsprsssntshs, 4 hsrshy suthsriss
him b tfsnsfsr my vote 10 eouvsnllen y -
in the election Of soms ether malnbsz ~
shall y my representative; y I hsvs -
much cOn6dence in the integrity and ability
Of John Doe. that name him 90 my repre-
sentative. am also willing to trust him to
secure me proper representative in cass be
cannot hImsslf serve me directly"
But the first question that arises To-: u
John Dee honestf win be, when he gets
'inAs the convention ell me cot for money
u be sach man - 4 would trust 10 admin
ter on nv estate, or 10 invest or collect mo-
ney for mes II this question did not Had .
satisfactory answer in the chAractsr and
standing Of Mr.. Joba Doe, be weaId get but
very few votes. THIS Ia one great recon-
mendation to the proposed plan If 1t Will
secure for cur Legislators h0aest members.
The second question shat arises in preparing
tbs bAllotis. Is John Doe capable? If elect
ed win he ably advocate certain measures in
which | am interested, and If not elected,
but only nominated, will he use 20 ID judg-
ment securing me proper representative
when be transfers my votst Both these
questions being satisfactory answered., vote
for John Doe.
This is the Hare" plan simplifsd "a
thoriEing the men nominated to transfer
votes at their discretion, il does away with
most Of the machinery Of the Hare plan,
which involves the placing Of a number Of
names on each ticket, in order 20 secure
representation in case the first choice fails to
receive quota OF has votes in excess Of
quota. Judging the system Of representa-
tion now in operation by its fruits, whas
have we pa sy tenn that has succeeded in
placing men in power whose intellectual and
moral status is so Low, that their success
would be impossible in anything but the
now muddy stream Of politics-undsr our
present system Of majority representation,
the necessity Of uniecstic md consolida-
ton Of party, for the "a. Us, Of becoming
dominant is so urgent-ss non-success means
represntatioD-thatp party discipline be-
comes almost as rigorous as that Of an ar
my and all men Of independence Of thought
who agreeing with strong minority or ma
jority upon some Of the party measures,
while disagreeing as to Ithers, are com
PEELED TO accept the party yoke, however IN
comfortable it may Ct, and sink their indi-
vidual opinions, or abstain from taking part
in politics. If the f" Labor Party" hopes
for success it must sgitste for change In
the present system and the adoption Of one
whereby minOrities E.ay at all times secure
a representation in proportion to their mum
bers. Under sach q system labor would
have its Representations in the Legislature
Of every State and strong delegation in
Congress. Under the present system il may
struggle for years ne the cats paw and the
play thing Of contending parties-or at most
as an army CORPS of political mercenaries
always ready to sell its power TO the highest
bidder.
To illustrate the actual injustice done to
the minority by our present System O. vO ang
We append the following tables cs sue vote
in the State elections Of 1866 and 1867.