The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-07-13
COLUMBIA, "a, b S. G.
Wednesd AZ Morning, July Is. 1870;
sIlnority Rspres ontatIon.

esuO oaNoSA ~ tuds pEospoIouo onu 6Ao",
ing State in the Observation-Disclosures
Illinois, It says,5is the greatest marvel
of progress and development in the his
tory OF the world. Within the memory
of men still living, it was an expanse of
nnbroken prairie. and now it is covered
with villages, houses aud cities, with
schools and colleges, with farms and
factories, with railroads, and is still
marching bravely and steadily on in her
career Of unexampled growth. Nor is
che behind in the matter of government
AS the World says, Illinois has become
the brightest star in our political con-
stellation, by the boldness and wisdom
of its constitutional reforms" Among
the new features, many of them excel
Ient-introducad into it's Constitution, is
chat Of MINORITY or PROPORTIONAL REP
RESERVATION It's determination to make
this experiment, is enough of itself to
stamp IllinoissSs commonwealth, saga
ciods and wide awake. As our readers
are aware, We invest this principle with
great interest and are earnestly bent
upon drawing to it public consideration
and public endorsement It is necessa-
ry to the life of free governments based
upon suffrage. It makes se!f-govern-
ment consistent with peace. security aad
liberty. It regulates the stream of uni
versal suffrage It puts check oupou
the maddening torrent of the power of
the majority. It changes license into
liberty. It congresses and utilizes and
gives direction to vast energies. It
keeps the body polite together, and
saves it from disintegration OF decay or
death. It is principle which stands
to government US does the application of
steam to industry. When steam was
chained, work was done in the material
world not unlike that which will be con-
summated when proportional represen-
tation shall become part and parcel OF
the governmental system. And Illinois
has won the honor of making a great ex-
pertinent. The PLAN adopted may not
be perfect Doubtless, it is to be i'm
proved upon. But step in the right
direction has been taken, and even now
are the laurels of honor due to the young
giant of the Northwest.
On this subject, our contemporary of
the New York World says:
''The Illinois scheme of minority rep
resentation, or more properly of cumu-
lative voting. has great value as an ex-
pertinent, and its progress will be watch
ed with much interest. In each Senate
rial district, three members are to be
chosen of the lower branch of the Legis-
lature; and the popularity of the soheme
is that ench elector may distribute or
concentrate his three votes as he pleases.
He may give one vote each to three sepa-
rate candidates in the old ordinary man
ner; or he may give three votes to one
favorite candidate; or (which probably
would not often happen) be may give
two Of his votes to one candidate and one
fairness in allowing the elector this free
disposal of his votes, and it will lead in
many cases to more equitable and pro-
portionate representation of the consti-
tuencies than prevails under the present
system. In every district where one OF
the two political parties is in a clear and
acknowledged minority, it will give that
minority one of the three representa-
tives, if its numbers are sufficient to en-
dhe it to ono. But in districts where
the parties are pretty evenly balanced
the operation of the system il more
doubtful. In such districts each party
will nominate full ticket. us neither will
be willing to make a pnbic confession of
inferiority. If the tickets are weak. or
if there should be weak men on either,
it gives Il great chance to one popular in
dependent candidate, whose friends may
easily elect him by concentrating nil
their votes. The new system may thus
bring into the Legislature q few mem-
bers of uncommon ability and weight of
character, who can follow their honest
Judgment untrnmmelled by party obi
cations. If this should be one of it's
fruits, the experiment would be more
than vindicated. But there is dunger
that in many balanced districts the ef-
feet would be very different. AS gen
eral rule, two full tickets will probably
be nominated. and the friends of partic-
uiar candidates will attempt to elect
them by betraying the other candidates