The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-10-28
ITS oBJEoTs-JUsT REPRESENTATION

| AND PURE ELECTIONS,
Two capital objects are sought to be
accomplished by the free vote consid
cred as an instrument of reform: First,
the just representation of the people in
government, and Second, the purifica-
tion of popular elections.
How to secure the proportional repre-.
sentation of political parties or interests
in government is certainly a question
of high importance and we have reason
to rejoice that it is now receiving ear
nest attention in our own country and
in Europe. We must all agree that the
| majority vote-as l shall call the old
plan to which we have been accustomed
is both insufficient and unjust in the
case OF many elections to which il is ap-
piled, and that in unchecked operation
it is positively pernicious and hurtful.
Observe, am not speaking of the ma
jority or plurality rule of elections
which in its proper application to re-
turns is necessity, but of the majority
cote, of that instrument of oppression
by which government is made unsatis-
factory because it is made unjust. The
law has said to the citizen, "You shall
distribute your votes singly among
candidates although by doing so you
will lose them all and stand deprived
of all voice in the government.
You and your neighbor shall be made
to struggle constantly, each to deprive
the other of his equitable right in the
very attempt to maintain his own.
And if you shall not choose to vote in
this exact manner and to grasp at more
than belongs to you, you shall not vote
at all; you shall stand aside disfran-
chised and ignored" No wonder that
our people, instructed by experience and
scourged by many evils, are beginning
to complain of the law and to inquire
whether there is not some possible rem
edy for electoral injustice-some plan of
amendment by which all the people
can have their votes counted aud OBJ.
tain by them appropriate power and
influence in the government.
Yes, there are remedies for this in
Justice and one of them l advocate to-
night; remedy convenient of applica-
ton and effectual for all our purposes
of reform. But it is not proposed in
antagonism to other plans Of reform,
nor as finality in the art of govern.
ment. 1t may stand simply for what it
is-a good, useful, workable plan for
the Improvement of elections and for
securing justice to the whole body of
our electoral population.
The second great object of reformed
voting-tEe publication of elections
invites to a more elaborate exposition
of an existing evil and of the remedial
character of the new plan, than my
space and time will permit but can
not pass it wholly unnoticed. Certainly
when you shall cheaper elections by
taking away the motive or the main
motive for spending money upon them,
you will purify them also. They will
be cleansed and elevated in character by
being made cheap and inexpensive to
parties and candidates who are now
compelled to expend money upon them
profusely as the indispensable condition
of success. Now beyond all question
the free vote will cheaper elections.
1t will take away from parties almost
entirely two powerful motives which
now operate upon them-a greed for un-
just representation and fear of unjust
disfranchisement-by the conjoint oper-
alton of which desperate and expensive
struggles are produced. When a party
shall be made secure in its just repre-
sentation 6y its O,cn v0tes it need not
buy majority in the corruption mark
ct as a measure of necessary defence.
When it cannot by the aid of corrupt
votes rob the opposite party and
take to itself more than its just share
of representative power, it will become
frugal in its expenditures and honora-
BILE in its conduct. Thus the free vote
destroys or checks corruption by taking
away the motives WHICH produce it,
and in this respect vindicates itself as
improvement and progress.
THE APPLICATION OF THE FREE VOTE.
The free vote is proposed for applica
ton to the following elections:
1. To the choice of Electors of Presi.
dent and Vice President of the United
States.
.. TO the choice of members of Con.
gress.
3. To the choice of Senators and Rep.
resentatives to the legislatures of the
several States.
In Pennsylvania it should be further
applied to the election of the following
officers:
1. Judges of the Supreme Court.
q Law Judges of all Common Pleas
and District Courts composed of more
than one law judge.
3. Associate Judges of counties.
4. Aldermen and Justices of the |
Peace in wards, boroughs and town
ships.
8. County Commissioners and County
Auditors.
6. Directors for the Poor for counties |
or for Poor districts whenever their
election shall be authorized.
7. Councilmen of cities and bor-
oughs.
s. Assessors of taxes whenever two
are to be chosen, and Assistant Asses
sors triennially.
8. Constables whenever two are to be
chosen.
10. Supervisors of roads aud Overseers
of the Poor in townships.
IL. Borough and Township Auditors.
II. Directors and Controllers of Com
mon Schools in all the School Districts
of the Commonwealth.
The new plan should also be applied
throughout the country to stakeholder
al inno fha obniaa Of of, . -, |