The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-08-30


where as large a vote as in Pennsylvania is
polled, 1t would require some nice figuring to
ascertain the limits beyond which it would be
unsafe for the minority 10 venture in distribu-
ting their votes, but the party leaders would be
found equal TO the task after little experience,
If not at the outset. of ha.o HE ot
Kx-sennsor Busaglsw's ws Adyocscy Of the ''Uu-
Although the cumulative system has been
before the public for some years. both in this
country and in England, it is just beginning to
attract general attention in the United States.
Ex-senator Buckalew has given the system
careful study, and on more than one occasion,
from the rostum as well as from his seat at
Washington, has discussed and explained it in
all its bearings and details. In q speech de-
livered in this city on the 10Th of November
1867, Mr.. Buckalew illustrated the system and
its workings as follows-
''There are 10000 voters in Vermont OF whom
10000 are members of the Republican party and
10000 of the Democratic party. / speak in round
numbers. BY law, that State is entitled to three
under the Constitution OF the United States author
ICES the allotment of that number TO her. NOW,
should elect two Representatives, having 40 600 Votes
and the minority should elect one, having 1000
votes but can that be 50 in point OF fact present9
III the electors OF that State vote for three Represen-
tatives by general ticket the majority would elect
the whole three. BY cumulative voting, by autborlz
each three votes to one candidate, that candidate
would receive 60,000 votes, and the majority
cannot defeat him. The majority voting for
two Representatives can elect them, but they
cannot elect the third. Suppose they attempt to
them 10000 votes and the minority candidate has
6O,O0O II they attempt to vote for two, as they
ought to do that being the number they entitled
to, they can give them 1000 votes each, the same
number that the minority candidate has. II they
attempted to vote for one, they would give that can
away their votes IN that foolish manner The prac-
teal result would be that the $1,000 majority electors
elect them, and the 10000 minority electors would
vote for one and elect him, and results analogous to
TINS would occur al over the United States If this
The ssCumuiative yoteo 70 be tried In Illinois
Illinois is the first State to make the expert
ment of testing the merits of the cumulative
voting system on an extensive scale. At the
recent Constitutional Convention, a clause pro-
viding for the cumulative voting was adopted
four to one, after mature deliberation and the
discussion of numerous plans for insuring to
minorities the rights of which they have been
so long despoiled. This clause was submitted
to q separate vote with the amended Constitu-
ton, and like it was adopted by an overwhelm-
ing majority. The experiment is restricted to
the election of members of the lower house of
the State Legislature, the Senate being chosen as
heretofore. From each Senatorial district three
fed voter may distribute his three votes as he
pleases among the candidates one vote for each of
three men, or three votes for one man. or one
and a half votes for each of two. Heretofore
the Republicans have secured almost the eRtire
representation in the northern section of the
State, while in the southern part the Democrats
have been equally successful; but under the
cumulative system o fair and equitable repre-
sentatlon of both parties in each section is con-
fidently anticipated. The experiment will be
eagerly watched by thoughtful people through
out the country, and its results will have an i'm
portant bearing upon the future politics of the
whole country. ss9r Gf
The Experiment mt Bloomsbury. In this State.
But the cumulative vote has already had o
trial a small scale in this State, and the re-
suits were quite satisfactory. The last Legisla-
ture, in an act defining the boundaries and
organizing the town of Bloomsbury, Montour
county, in which ex-senator Buckalew resides,
Incorporated clause embodying the cumulative
system. In this it was provided that in the
selection of the six members of the Town Coun-
Gil, each voter might cast one vote for each of
six persons, one vote and half for each of four,
three votes for each of two, or six votes for
one, at his option. Unfortunately for the entire
success of the experiment at the first election,
which was held last April, the politics of
Bloomsbury were slightly mixed. If party lines
had been strictly drawn, the operation of the
system would have been much more definite and
satisfactory. Under the old system, as the
voting population of Bloomsbury is usually
Democratic by fair majority, the Democracy
would have carried their whole ticket, and the
Republican voters of the town, although COM
prising nearly one-half of the whole number,
would not have secured single representative
in the council. But under the cumulative system
it was in their power to concentrate their
force upon less than the full number OF
persons to be elected, and if they chose to dc
SO to any considerable extent, it became an alb
solute impossibility for the Democracy to keep
them entirely unrepresented. So the Democrats
placed but three candidates for the Council in
nomination, thinking it better to be sure of one.
half of that body than to risk the election of two
alone by attempting to secure the triumph o.
four. The opposition or citizens ticket con
tanned four names, two of them being Republi
cans and two Democrats so that there were, al
told, five Democrats and two Republicans
| running for the six seats in the towr
| council, while both the candidates fo
| President-for which position the voting wa
! done in the ordinary way-were of De
mocratic procliyities. AS the result of til,
election for members of the Council, the thre,
regular Democratic candidates, the two Republi
cans on the opposition ticket and one of thu
! Democrats on the latter ticket were elected
and the Republican minority in Bloomsbury i
fairly represented, as 1t should be. We Civ,
! below the names of the candidates with tn,
! number of votes received by each, to illustrat
| the workings of the cumulative system on it
first actual trial in the United States the name