The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-06-23

Ats ibCouSbuicuCcb nuu cfio NV
MODES OF VOTING DESCRIBED.
The manner in which the right of suffrage
sbsll be exercised, always question of high
importance is one of difficulty also 1t has
been regulated in various ways in our state
aud IN foreign countries, but must be con
sidered in lnaay respects as still open sc
debate. We have pretty generally adopted
the vote by secret ballot for popular cleo
tons, but whether votes be given by score
or open ballot, or by voice, . question viii
remain as to the manner in which they shal
bs bestowed upon or distributed among
candidates. Where but one representative
or other official is to be chosen by consti
tuency. it is readily understood that a singl,
vote is to be given BY each elec,or to tn,
candidate of his choice, and such is tn,
uniform regulation But where more thar
one person IS to be chosen by q constituent,
the manner of bestowing votes upon candi
dates is q question OF more diff Guilty. aut
various regulatio IS have been made or pro
posed concerning it. Several of these i, il
necessary 10 mention and describe before
proceeding to the main matters TO be
examined in this report.
SUPERIORITY OF THE FREE VOTE.
IL will be seen that the unrestricted OF
free vote Is more comprehensive and iexl-
BILE than the others, and that it inclQ les
many OF their features and may be used &c
accomplish their objects. Ii involves O,
includes the vote by general ticket without
the restriction that but one vote shall 10
any case be given to a candidate IL NAV
De nsed to accomplish the purposes of the
limited vote and Of single district voting
N Just, etfectusl aud popular manner, aud
1t includes completely the cumulative vote
with which II Is IN character closely allied
10 brief, 1t com bines the advantages of other
plans without their imp projections, while it il
not open to any strong objection peculiar
to itself. The Ingredient however OF
greatest value of importance contained in
It, and the one particularly fitted to regener-
ate and give credit TO elections, il the
principle OF the concentration of votes. In
fact, for practical purposes in dissertation
or argument upon the question of electoral
reform, the terms Cumulative vote" and
free vote may be interchangeable used
though the latter il mos, Appropriate and
accurate 10 indicate plan which commonly
involves distribution as we'll AS concentra
tlon OF votes. and sometimes even the giving
OF single votes to particular candidates.
10 the matter of selecting representatives
from his state 10 Congress-perhaps the
most important of all electoral operations
known IN our Countrywide is allowed 10
participate IN the selection OF but one out of
the whole number. The state NAV he en-
Titled BY to II or to 30 representatives,
bat the Judgement of the elector can be
exercised upon the choice of one only. As
10 all the rest, he Is excluded from
taking part In their selection. Besides, his
choice OF q single representative must be
exercised within and for particular district.
arbitrarily established BY law. with such
boundaries, population, interests, and politi-
cal complexion as may happen to be con-
venient or agreeable to q majority in the
legislature OF the state. And practically
ne must select his candidate from among
the men OF the district and is excluded from
all choice beyond it.
And when to all this we add that the
elections held in single districts are necess-
ariiy SUBJECTED to majority or plurality
rule, which very commonly renders a large
part OF the votes East unsvaling for the
purpose for which they are given. we have
the case folly presented as one of incou ven
fence aud hardship upon the elector. The
law has been busy where it should have
been inactive, and the voter is bound by N
Huu Ee6lffctlOns, which !
he can neither envade nor defy. 1t is time
that the hand of power be lifted from the |
citizen and he be permitted to perform his |
electoral duties with all possible freedom.
The justice of the proposed reform is |
tn 'refore evident 1t extends popular power.
upon principle of equality, limits disfran
chisement, and provides the voter with |
necessary facilities for the exercise of his |
RICH.
With good reason, therefore, did the Lon
don Times, in speaking Of clause 8 Of the |
reform bill of 1867, (triumphantly carried
in both houses of Parliament upon full de |
bate, and similar in principle TO the pros
position before Us. declare, that the idea
of modifying our ELECTORAL machinery 40 as
TO secure in three mem bered constituencies
the proportionste representa- tioD of both the !
great divisions of party, has made its ,r1y
By ats inherent Justice"
EXAMPLES OF REFORM
In PennsyivsnIs and in other states in
pectors OF elections are chosen upon the
Ian of the limited vote. Each voter is
authorized to vote for but one inspector. and
ct two are to De CHOSEN Thus, whenever
ne minority party il au election district can
'oli one third of the Whole vote they can
ecnrs one OF the inspectors. and obtain e
presentation In the election board Of the
iisIr'ct. Ihis arrangement protects cleo
IONS from fraud and 1t Justice, and is
Verywhere within the states which have
ooPfed 1t strongly sustained by nnbt,c
pinion. In fact. even in districts where The
laJority has more than a two thirds vo,.
ne attempt 10 rarely made by them to choose a
he secoud inspector. Il
In Pennsylvania. also, jury Commission
rs 10 the several counties are chosen upon
le same plan. But one is voted for BIZ
ach elector, aud yet two are chosen p
For selecting delegates at large to the
,e* 1ork constitutional convention in .
oo'' similar plan was adopted. Upon -
10 recommendation of Governor Fenton
eeisature provided that thirty-two =
,sonl" at large should be chosen by the
hs III ADDITION to the delegates from
,boo.; p'esentanve distric,s-and tina, in
-"o'',hH them each Voter sboriJ -. 70
zach noI;,;a me consequence was that
a po'lnca, party obtained .;x,san - .u n
a.es ~ large. many Of whom oonIs ".
ZOE" CHOSEN upon a district ~" wv te
nry way III the ordin- Y
1hese instances in our own cor,., tr
rate the principle of reform no. = mus a :,
ton, and many others m;pht H. :" !ues n
They show distinctly tba, s" e"eo;
attempts have been made by our peonls y. y, Re
break away from an un ust system of vo,;na
md to secure to themselves those sdv.n,s' r.
yes which full representation is SO veil '