Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1871-06-26
Dailp argus.
REPRESENTATION OF M1NoR1r1Es.


Minority representation, though so i'm
portant a question, is one which has been
very little canvassed. That it is a System
which has, as yet, only been adopted in two
StAtes,-Iilinois being one and Pennsyl-
vAniA the other,-is s point which must ex-
cite interest, for it gives rise to a conviction
that these two States are in advance of the
rest, q point which is now exciting consider
able attention. Minority representation is
an fat acc0mpt, and is admitted to be a
really good thing bringing into effect rs 1t
does, the votes OF "a large number Of men
who were, literally, unreprssented, owing to
the defective working Of the theu present
system. Minority representation is nothing
more or less than proportional representa-
tion. By its system the voter may either
bestow oil his votes upon one candidate or
divide them among ell, anywhere within the
limits Of the State, among qualified citizens
instead of only being able to exert his polit-
icSl power upon the representation of one
phEAlCNlAA NlNhAl Y WlAubuh ia kIcAh hLA
valuable extension Of privilege, nud a true
exponent Of what the pure democratic prin'
ciple OF self government really is. Before
the introduction Of tbs system OF represents.
ton OF minorities WAS elaborated, the ques'
ton always YVES b. TO hor The votes given
should be decided amoGg the candidates
whether said votes were given by ballot o
ezra rOce, which made the manner Of bestow
ing votes a question 81. 40 llttle difficulty
In addition 10 the iree yo,e ,siGe more cssi
ly understood in its sp,ris aud Workings, and
less restricted ,bau the vote by merely gen
ersl ticket, it has the immense advantage.
OF enabling a concentration OF votes upon
men who are selected as being pecuiiarly
representative men who viii work we'll
together; or even Of giving single votes tc
particular candidates whereas, turueTIy, q
voter was only able 10 vote for one man out
Of = number, and had 40 voice At all il Ia,
election of the remaining candidates. Ii
addition to which he wss restricted, il the
~ " rs WV ~ ~ pms NAotAfSt
which was often aelec,ed by a State majoii
~ TO, in some measure, nullify the ttnrc
of his vote. Ee had in effect, aigo, fsou
this cause, to chose his candidate from b.,
own district, and none other. Now election
in single districts axe necessarily subjsct Il
the uutair effects Of the majority rule, o,
vkfgk 1ar.. v,-.R., 81 80 --.I
lag Cor the pur pose Tor which they are ten
dered thus showing the impartiAlity OF II
majority system TO De t. complete farce, -p
say nothing Of the harsh restrictions whicI
accompany ii Nothing ia more ceI!air
than that in our free country the electors
citizen ought to be absolutely free and W
restrained in The use of bis vote, and kuo'
exactly that, when nc haudslt in, it is goin.
to do exactly what he reasonably intends
TO 60 which was part of ths intention 0
our vAunted Constitutions construction
Now the great principle on which We 90 i
that one electoral ciuzeu's vote is wortI
precisely as much rs that Of another. 3
the majority rule this was decidedly not car
ried ous,ss We have shown, bu: BY The lie,
minority rule every recorded vote has III
impartial effect in favor Of the party TO
which it is given, and lessons tire proba
bilities Of that demorslizing political chas
tisement, Northumberland It make.
al honest politician sick to have explaine.
to him, after the elections are over, ths. tn,
vote he has given is practically useles
owing to the system Of the majority rule
The principle Of minority represensatio.
may he given in a very small space. 1t i
The fair and pyoportionate representation o
10Th the great political parties. By suppos
ing a case we are enabled to give a yer
fine illustration of its workings. Suppos
ing an election district bad TO elect twC
officers, and, in their election, polled 80
votes. two hundred of which were given 70
the two candidates of one party; and tn
remaining one hundred and one for one car
didate Of the other party, the minority sys
tenn would give one elected officer to eRci
party for, if the latter pGrty pOlled on
hundred and one votes, the former part
would have to equal that number to seour
the election of one Of its candidates. an,
then have to show at least one hundred an
two additional votes before it could seeur
the return Of it's other candidate.