Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1871-06-27
gaup Argus.
REPRESENTATION OF M1NoRIrIEs.

REPRESENTATION OF MIE0RITIEs.
Minority representation, though so i'm.
pOrtAnt a questiou, ia one which has been
very little cSnvAssed. That ii is q system
which has, as yet, only been adopted in two
States, Illinois being one and PenDsyl-
vaniH the cther,-is q point which must ex-
cite interest, for it gives rise to a CONFUSION
that these two States are in advance Of the
rest, a point which is now exciting consider
able attention. Minority representation is
an tdit accomph, and is admitted to be a
really good thing bringing into effect as il
does, the votes of a large number of men
who wore, literally, unrepreseuted, owing to
the defective working OF The then present
system. Minority approximation Id nothing
more or less than proportional representa-
ton BY It's So stem the voter may either
bestow ell his votes upon one candidate or
divide them among all, anywhere within the
limits of the State, among qualified citizens;
instead Of ouly being able TO exert his polit-
zeal power upon tie representation Of ole
particular district without it;-A great and
valuable extension OF privilege, and g true
exponent Of what the pure democratic prin.
ciple OF self government really is. Before
she introduction Of the system Of representa-
ton Of minorities was elaborated. the ques.
ton always was as to hoW the votes given
should be decided among tho candidates
whether said votes were given BIZ ballot o,
rira U0ce, which made the manner Of bestowr
ing votes q question Of no little difficulty
In addition to the free vote being more. easi
ly understood in its spiri. and workings. and
loss restricted than the vote BY merely gen.
eral ticket, it has the immense advantages
of enabling u concentration OF votes upon
men who are selected as being peculiarly
representative men who will work well
together; or even OF giving single votes to
particular candidates whereas, formerly, a
voter was only able to vote for one mar out
Of a number, and had no voice ct all 10 the
election Of the remaining candidates. In
addition to which he was restricted, in the
exercise OF bis vote, to one particular district
which was often selected by a State maioIi
T. to, in some measure, nulify the efFec,
Of his vote. BE had, in eject, also, from
this cause, to chose his candidate from his
own district, and none other. Now elections
an single districts are necessarily subject &c
the unfair effects Of the majority rule, by
which a large number Of votes ere ~unRyail
ing for the purpose for which they are ten.
dored thus showing the i'm partiAlity of the
majority system 10 be a complete farce,-tc
ssy nothing Of the harsh restrictions which
accompany it. Nothing is more certain
than that in our free country the electoral
citizen ought to be absolutely free and IN.
restrained in the use of his vote, and know
exactly that, when he hands it iu, it ia going
TO do exactly what be reasonably intends il
to DO = which was part of the intention Of
our Wanted Constitutions construction
Now the great principle on which we go ia
that one electoral citizens vote is worth
precisely as much ss that of another. BY
the majority rule this was decidedly not car,
ried ous,ss we have shown, but by the new
minority rule every recorded vote has It's
impartial effect in favor of the party for
which it is given, and lessons the probA-
bilities of hat demorslizing political chas
tissment, Northumberland. 1t makes
an honest politician sick to have explained
to him, after the elections are over, that the
vote he has given is practically useless
owing to the system of the majority rule.
The principle of minority representation
may be given in a very small space. II is
the fair and proPortionate representation of
both the great political parties. BY suppos-
ing g case we are enabled to give a very
fine Illustration Of its workings. Suppos-
ing an election district had to elect two
officers, and, in their election, polled 301
votes, two hundred Of which were given for
the two candidates of one party; and the
remaining one hundred and one for one can
didate of the other party, the minority sys-
TEN would give one elected officer to each
party for, il the latter party polled one
hundred and one votes, the former party
would have to equal that number to secure
the election of one OF its candidates, and
then have to show at least one hundred and
two additional votes before it could secure
the return of it's other candidate.