The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-01-10
Minority Representation.

QueSGlO0 OF minority Tepreoont@'io'' S~JS
1.-THE Democracy of this State would doubt
less prefer that this measure should be intro
duced Into this State in the form of an act o.
the Legislature, 50 that in case that party
should ever gain ascendancy in that body, il
could easily mend the matter by repeal OF the
act. What we desire ia, that the principle
should be engraftsd into our State Constltu'
tion, so that it cannot be made the play ihng
of every political party that gets into power.
In this connection, we cannot help asking
how many Democratic Legislatures nave
thought enough Of this principle OF minority
representation to recommend its adoption
There is a strong Democratic majority In the
Georgia Legislature, but we have not YET
heard of the proposition to Introduce this prin-
cIple in that State. No; Democrats only want
this in operation where there are Republican
majorIties. Where the Democrats have ma
jorlty 1t is well enough as 1t is. We should De
glad to see this system in practice in every
State in the Union, and that is just what the
other side|do not want"
We beg to remind our contemporary that
the plan of minority representation was first
put in. operation in a district in Pennsylva-
MIA where the Democrats had large majority,
and that this was done at the instance, and
through the efforts, OF Senator Buckalew:
But the fact that Democrats did adopt cumu-
latiye voting in Pennsylvania, and have not
done so in Georgia, is no argument for or
against the acceptance OF the same system
by the South Carolina Legislature. We adj
vocate cumulative voting because it is the
simplest way Of giving the minority their
proporlisnate weight in:the election OF public
officers. And we advocate minority represen-
tation because it is not just or right that
numerical majority SHOULD have unlimited
control over the affairs OF any State. The
majority must rule, but the minority are en-
titled to voice in council. e.
The necessity for the adoption OF a
plan which will give representation to
the conservative minority. in the low
country, and to the Radical minority tn
the tup-country OF South Carolina, is OBJ
viously great: And it is only because
We desire that the system should go into
operation at the next elections, that we have
urged the Legislature TO pass law provid-
ing for cumulative voting. We desire to
see cumulatirs voting claase added to the
State Consultation, and will cheerfully sup
port the proposition Of Senator Cardozo.
But this constitutional amendment cannot
se voted on by the people until next Fall,
md cannot be ratified until the legislative
session of l672-'73. 1t could not, therefore,
20 into effect until the General Elections OF
1874. A constitutional amendment gives
he people in two years what an Act OF the
General Assembly would give them at once.
But the Offering Of the constitutional amend
nent need not interfere with the passage OF
q bill upon the same subject We ask that
a law for cumulative voting be passed this
session, and that, at the same time, an
amendment to the constitution be proposed
which shall be voted on at the Fall elections.
This will give the State Immediately the ad-
7antages of minority representation, and
WILL ALSO, engrait the principle upon the
organic law.
| We may add that We do not believe that
The Democracy OF the State desire to obtain
The benefits Of cumulative voting while they
are in the minority, and to repeal the law
when they have the majority. This, at all
svsnts, is not the policy Of TIE NEWS, which
supports cumulative voting upon principle,
and will fight for it to the end.