The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-05-01
CO1)IlsII!J11lAlg| I gfB; / + G.
sanaay Nor !, MAY 1870. 1 !,

sanaa Nor MAY !, 1870. j 81 81
Advantages or enc ..Hresp fVote',--uIinorI-l
tyfEsspfesshtnlion Secured. ~
In our issue iof yesterday, we gave the
details Of the tlate Blo6msbnrg penn: J.
election. erss,s'teformed voting was,
for the fret time practically tested, AS
already shown, the result was equitable
and ths system worked smoothly. We
consider this matter, of .'reformed vot-
ing"one Of the most Important ques;
tions of thea day. It's tendency is to
dignity, to strengthen and to perpetuate
popular government. II makes stability,
justice and psrmanence possible with
universal suffrage. We earnestly invite
public attention TO. the subject. TX
Senator Buckalew deserves special credit.
He it was who, in q democratic" com
munity, put in motion scheme which
involved voluntary abdioation of ex-
elusive party power. He was willing to
divide representation with his political
.antagonists, and 70 give the minority
fair, chewing. We trust that time will
shoW thas,AIr::; Buck kalew's name is now
associated with, q, great, just and useful
principle: We hope that s.Bloomsbnrg"
is now historic The Bloomsburg Dam.
ocrat ,th'qs,spaaka ID reference to the sys-
tenn Of voting carried ont on the occasion
of the rsssnt nh Hicipall election in that
totpn:v ftl4a ~ a,s7in~ nI1Jn7t . r.
Rsfoara@aasd Voting has F the he following ;iin
salntary effects, illustrated more or less
fully at our late local election: .r.s
I. The Ssxpplsion' Of disfrapchisement
from popular elections.; Men do not
, vote and loaa their votes. They are not
counted dout-ostracised- -debfived Of all
voice in the government. This Injustice
they have often snfased ia both general
and local elections, ibut will suffer, NO
longer when reformed voting shall be
established. How much of contentment
and of Increased attachment to republi-
can institntions must this one benefoent
change producei
q. The best men can be selected as
candidates and elected. Availability-a
mere capacity to get votes aud often the
worst votes in the community, the
whiskey boys Of saloons. the bigots of
churches, the purchasable and the timid
citizens-loses nearly all its importance
In the selection Of candidates. For the
floating vote-the vote subject to inAu-
ence-will no longer hold the balance of
power be.weaa parties and control cleo
tions. The independent, upright citizen.
unskllled in the corrupt devices of ma
jority voting, can afford to be candi-
date and can succeed, in spite of the
rogues and ruffians in his district. And
In Office he can defy them, for they will
not hold his reelection and his future in
their hands.
D.. An nunembarrassed and better selec-
tion can be made by the voter from
among candidates. His freedom of
choice will be reality, and not delu-
sion. Even the degree of his preference
Tor q candidate can be expressed by the
free vote. He can give all his votes to
one candidate; he may distribute them
among candidates ,is he shall think fit.
For the first time. the principle of self
government is to be realized in electoral
action. The voter is to Judge for him
sell, and not the. law for him, how his
votes shall be bestowed.
Under the free vote, but few candi-
dates. ct popular elections will be de-
feated and they and their friends morti-
ueo ana soured for the future. But
single candidate for member of our
town council underwent defeat at the
late election, and the running of sur
plus candidate arose out of particular
circumstances, and was an exceptional
case. Ordinarily there will be but six
candidatesinstead of; seven. But under
the old plan of election, there would
have been at least twelve candidates, and
six OF them would have been defeated.
Six beaten men in the community would
have meant discomfort, resentment and
retaliation hereafter. At all events, a
reduction OF nearly one-half in the num-
ber OF candidates at elections would be
highly advantageous and desirable.
S. Finally, the free vote strikes off
two-thirds OF the expense and oonse-
quent corruption of elections. It takes
awsy most OF the motive to corrupt
voters. for under it the necessity of
buying majorities will no longer exist
and press upon parties and candidates.
We will conclu1e g with O single addi-
tional remark. The free vote, in order
to its complete eoperation-toi its thorough
renovation Of our electoral system
must be applied to the nomination of
candidates. as we'll as to their election;