The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1870-04-15
Friday, April Is, 1870.
The Representation Of Minorities.

Tlciu uRS fccSn1y QepSeieu d 1eesuAs
in Boston, in advocacy Of this new
suffrage principle; and that the news
paper press of overy shade of politi
cai opinion, from the Republican
2slLuae on ono side to- tho Democratic
World on tho other, very generally
urge its adoption, as the only mode
of carrying out tho true theory, ano
securing thejust and perfect rule O.
representa- 1t seems to DO jus,
in principle, simple in operation, and
in its effects would likely go far, to-
wards purifying politics of tho pre-
vailing corruption.
According to tho present theory O
representation in the United States
tho majority alone rule. The will o
the minority finds no expression, anc
exerts no influence in legislation
Practically however, as Mr.. Field
shows, owing to a certain distribution
of the electoral districts, the repre-,
sentativcs of q small minority are
often in truth the ruling gpowcr, whilst
another minority has no representation
ut all. Thus "in the State of New Y orii
in 1868 the Democrats had popular
majority of 33,G11, but elected only
So mombers of Assembly, while the
Republicans elected 76. In Maryland
the Democrats cast G2,357 votes and
elected every member of both Houses
Oil in alD, while the Republicans
rollcd 80, ,43S votes and elected nobody
In California tho Republicans cast a
majority Of SIS votes, but only clcc-
ted % members, while the Democrats
elected 81. The whole number Of
votes cast was 1Os:G7O; but the dis
tricts wore SO distributed that G2
Representatives, elected by only 34,-
SOS votes, could control the Govern
ment." Now according to the theory
Of minority or proportional represen-
tation, it is designed to give express
sion to the will of every fraction of
tho body polite; giving just repre-
sentation to the whole peoplc-its
controlling power to the majority, but
still its due influence to the minority.
Thus if there bo 1000 Republican
votos and 500 Democratic voters, tho
representation in the Legislative body
would bo in the proportion of two
Republicans to one Democrat.
Of the numerous plans proposed
to secure this minority representation,
Mr. Field gives his preference to two
the Cumulative, and the system Of
Limited voting. "On tho cumula-
1irc system each voter has as many
votes rs there arc members to be
elected, and he may either distribute
them among different candidates or
unite them all on one. Thus Massachu-
sctts has 10 Representatives in Con-
gress and about 100000 voters. Each
voter would have 10 votes Repub-
Iieans and Democrats are divided in
tho proportion of about two-thirds of
the former and one-third of the latter
If the Republicans were to nominate
10 members, they could give each on
ly $4,000 votes; if the Democrats
oumulated their votes on 4 they could
give each 1s5, 900. The result would
be that The Republicans would nom
mate only 7 or 8 and the Democrats
8 Or 4, and each party would be fairly
represented in proportion to it's num-
bers." 80, ~
ION the plan of Limited voting,
each voter casts a ballot for fewer
than the whole number of members to
be chosen. Thus suppose there were
IS Aldermen to be chosen in the City
of New-Y York on the general ticket ;
let it be provided that no one shall
vote for more than 10 of the Is, and
ths minority will thus secure five
members Of the Board
The principle to a limited extent
has been Incorporated in the revised
Constitution of New York, being ap-
piled to the election of the seven
judges of the Court of, Appeals; and
the question with fair prospects of a
favorable result is now pending before
the Constitutional Convention Of Illi-
nois. Abin introduced last year into
the United States Senate by Senator
BuckalsW. md which provided that
each elector Of any State should be
entitled tara number Of votes equal
to the number Of ofsrepresentatives to
beEhosen'by.the State, and be at lib.
erty to give all such votes to one can
didate, 6r Distribute them equally or
anequaily among sgrcater number of
candidates, received 4 favorable re-
port from the Senate Committee, and is
now ps6ding In snpp6kt Of their
report the committee assign s.four
great reasons: ~ it is just, CO, it will
check corruption; az ft will bea guar
antse Of peace, and a it will improve
che achara6tef s and .ehility; 5ofs- 4h6
Hoasep <dOfflhe nost odnamoniohiecs
tion to the representation Of minori.
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