Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-12-27
The Cumulative System of Voting
Letter from Hon. Joseph Medill.
CHICAGO, November 81, 1877

CHICAGO, November 81, 1871.
General Comfy, Editor Ohio State Journal:
DEAR SIR You ask me, first, SIS it
too early to Judge as to the effect of cumu-
lative voting in Illinois ?" Second, "If
not, what do you think of it ?"
1t is too early to tell whether the cumu-
lative system of voting has given us a
better body of legislators than the old
method would have done-that is, more
talented, capable and honest members.
1t will take several elections and trials
before we can Judge with certainty as to
the working of the new system in this
respect. The most l am prepared to say
now is, that the new House elected by
minority representation will compare ia
vorably with the last or any preceding
one, so far as can judge by appearances.
In this county, which embraces one
seventh of the State, our best men of
neither party could be induced to be
candidates. They could not consent to
spare the time TO attend the sessions of
the House, and we were obliged to run
the best men who would accept If we
have not strong delegation from this
big county, the fault is not with minority
representation, but must be attributed to
the pressure of professional and business
engagements of the abler men. Still, we
have secured the services of several gen.
tlemen of very respectable abilities.
But in another respect the new system
has realized the most sanguine anticipa'
tiOns of its friends and others. For the
first time in the history of political or.
CARNATIONS, each party is represented
from every portion of the State; and the.
aggregate representation is exactly in
proportion to the numerical strength of
each party. Thus the Republicans have
elected eighty-siX members of the House,
and the Democrats slxty-seven. The
Republican vote of the State was 240, ,S37;
the Democratic vote Including O'Conor's)
was 1877 $50. This would give an aver
age of $500 Republican votes cast for
each Republican member, and 2, 100 Dem
ocratic votes cast for each member of that
persuasion. ..r..
What could be more equal or mathe.
matically exact? The majority party have
complete control, but the minority party
have just the representation they are en-
titled to on principles of equality. Had
the House been elected on the old grab
all method, it would stand, Republican
90, Democrat 54, We elected our Senate
by single districts, and the Republicans
carried thirty-thTee districts and the
Democrats but eighteen. Divide the total
Republican vote by the number of Sen
ators elected, and the quotient is about
1900 votes to each. Divide the Dem.
ocratic vote by their Senators elected, and
the quotient is 1O,400. Thus you per-
ceive the Democrats are not nearly repre-
sented in the Senate in proportion to
their strength, but in the House, which
was elected on the minority representa-
tion plan, they have secured precisely the
principles of right and Justice.
The practical workings of the two sys
tens, viz. the "grabaA" and the pro
portional, was strlkingly exemplifed in
this county, which is divided into seVeS
Senatorial Districts. The Republicans
carried six of them and the Democrat;
only one; but for the other house, the
Democrats elected eight and the Republi
cans thirteen members, and that is exact