The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-10-28
COL. DEM. 80 VOL. XXXIV. :. NO. 3e
instance, when two candidates have
been voted for as follows:
John Jones, II votes,
WITH, ID

/
been voted for as follows:
John Jones, II votes,
| william Brown, votes,
the first ticket drawn from the box may
be copied upon the tally paper, (omit-
ting the word "votes,") and then that
and succeeding tickets marked down in
scores of five toward the right accord
ing to the common practice. To the
sum of the scores for candidate fifty
| per centum will be added at the end of
the line. Thus If 80 such tickets have
been voted, the count for each candi-
date will be carried out-S0 plus 40 equals
120 votes. In this case the figures "1l"
attached to candidates name become
a sign OF value for the strokes which
follow,and may be conveniently enclos-
ed In circle with pen. If whole
votes alone shall be voted on other tick
cts for the same candidate, they should
be scored on separate line above or
below the other and be carried out and
added at the proper place on the right.
THE FILLING OF VACANCIES.
Upon a careful reading of speeches
made by John Bright in 1867, at Man.
chester, at Birmingham, and in the
House of Commons, in hostility to Gu
mulative voting and to the limited vote
as embodied in the Cairns amendment
to the Reform Bill, 1 became thorough
ly convinced of the utter weakness of
all possible objections to minority rep.
resentation las it was then called.) A
first-class man, laboring with great ear
nestness on repeated occasions, was un.
able to make good single objection to
reform, and was compelled in the final
debate on the Sth of August, to plant
himself upon purely conservative
ground and insist upon the novelty of
the proposition before the House. So
far as L can remember, there was but
one point made by him which reached
the dignity of appearing plausible, or
which seemed to call for explanation or
reply. That was that the new plans
were defective in regard to the filling
of vacancies THAT might happen pend
ing terms of official service. Surprising,
for instance, that the seat of member
of Parliament from triangular Dis
| trict-a District of three members
should become vacant from any cause
pending his term, neither the cumula-
tive or limited vote could be applied at
special election to the choice of his
successor. 1 admit the fact in the case
supposed, but 1 deny the objection based
upon it. That objection is wholly mis-
conceived and will disappear upon be-
ing submitted to examination. Mr..
Bright did not desire the third
member for Birmingham to be taken
by the Tories, and therefore opposed
reform; but his best point like all his
others, was unworthy of his genius and
his fame. Party interest misled him as
it has often misled other men of equal
| distinction and mental power.
Now as the question Of filling casual
vacancies, under reformed voting, has
never been discussed in this country,
nor, so far as know, been examined
abroad (unless in connection with
schemes of representation which do not
come within the scope of my present
discourse) 1 shall proceed to speak upon
it briefly, and shall incidentally dis
pose of the Bright objection just men.
toned.
In the first place 1 have to remark
that if hereafter casual vacancies shall
be filled by popular election and by the
majority vote, we shall be in no worse
condition than weare now; we shall SIM
ply continue, as to such occasional elec-
tions, the existingrule. In the next place
it is to be considered that whenever two
or more vacancies shall exist at the
same time, the free or limited vote can
be applied to an election held for the
purpose of filling them Again, it is
evident that most vacancies that will |
happen, will be of majority members
or officers and that the application of
the majority vote to the choice of sue
cessors will be perfectly proper and in
complete harmony with our plan of re-
form. But will take the comparatively |
rare or unusual case of minority vacan-
cy standing alone, or the still rarer case
of two or more such vacancies without
majority ones) existing at the same |
time. How shall such minority vacan-
cies be filled? L answer, they can be
filled and filled properly either by elec-
tion or appointment. In many if not
most cases appointments may be made
for unexpired terms, but whenever pos
sible in any case an appointment should
be made from among the voters who
shall have voted for the officer or person
whose place is to be filled. AS an illus
tration l will read the provision coh-
cerning the filling of vacancies con.
tanned in the County Commissioner bill
introduced into the Senate of Pennsyl-
vania at its last session. After provi-
ding for the election of three County
Commissioners and three County Aud
itors, respectively, for three year terms,
the fourth section provides as follows:
"SEC. 4. Vacancies in the Office of
County Commissioner or County Audi
tor occurring otherwise than by the eX-
piration of regular term of service or
occasioned or continued by failure to
elect under this act, shall be filed by
to be made by the Courts
of Quarter Sessions of the Peace of the
several counties in which such vacan-
cies shall occur, which appointments
shall be for the remaining part or time
of any unexpired term to be filled. In
the filling of any such vacancy the fol.
lowing rules of selection shall be OBJ.
served, to wit: First, The appoint
ment shall be made from among the
qualified electors of the county who
shall have voted fol-. the Commissioner
or Auditor whose place is to be filed,
and Second, The Judges of the Court
by whom the appointment is to be made
shall receive and consider any respect
full petition from qualified electors of
the county who shall have voted for the
Commissioner or Auditor whose place
Is To ha fiIlnd and ahnll annnlnt rnnh |