The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-01-09

COMPLETE REPRESENTATION. "A promi-
nent feature in the proposed new charter
for the city of New York is the minority
representation clause. This gives each
voter as many votes as there are persons
to be elected in his district, which votes
may be divided amongst the candidates,
or accumulated upon any one or more of
them. Each party, or interest, can be
represented according to its strength. IF,
for instance, there be $4,000 Democrats
and $4,000 Republicans in New York,
and forty aldermen are chosen, the De-
mocrats will elect twenty-five and the
Republicans fourteen of them. very
nearly. The majority rule, but the mi
nority are heard and felt. Now, if the
Radical reformers in the South Carolina
Legislature are IN earnest, they can do
good service by introducing and passin g
| q complete or minority representation
bill, under which the fall elections for
members OF the General Assembly may
De held. All the prominent Radicals in
south Carolina, in journalism and in
unmi1ed politics, have announced them
selves in favor of minority representa-
| ton. They know that, if the plan gives
the Conservatives an advantage in one
part OF the State. it secures to the Radi-
Gals a corresponding advantage in other
sections. It enables the minority, not to
control the majority, but to have that
representation which is their due. They
have only the weight to which their
numbers entitle them. It is, however,
! needless to repeat the well-known ar9u-
ments IN favor of minority representa-
tlon. The intrinsic justice of the plan
is admitted wherever it is understood,
and II MIR. Bowen honestly desires to
give South Carolina decent and capa-
BILE government, he cannot adopt bet
ter course than that of making
himself the leader of the movement
Tor the representation of minorities.
| ihls Will not interfere with the good
work of smashing the ring. The
honest citizens havo before them q
| double task-that of conviotinR and
Furnishing the public robbers. and that
OF preventing new frauds in the future
by elevating the character and improving
The tone of the Legislature OF the State
And we may add that the adoption, by a
Radical Legislature, of a law which
would give the Conservatives voice in
the councils of the State, would place the
South Carolina Republicans on the line
with the Republican reformers of the
East and West. and would keep South
Carolina Radicalism from being regarded
as constant source OF danger to the
national Republican party. Journals
like the Boston Adoertiser and the New
York Tribune know and admit that frauds
and robberes, such as those which are
confessed by the South Carolina Radicals,
must break down any political party
which attempts to uphold them. These
Journals demand that the administration
Of affairs in this State be purified. And
the adoption Of plan OF minority rep.
resentation would be, from even their
standpoint, All encouraging sign that
their party had not lost oil political so.
gacity as we'll as public virtue. The plan
OF minority representation, which is ex-
pected to be the bulwark of the minority
in New York, may we'll serve as safe
guard to the minority in South Carolina.
What is demanded as right by the Re-
publican minorities in the North, cannot
be treated as infamous and wrong when
asked for by the Conservatives in the
Southern States. Charleston Ne,os.
During the recent fires in Wisconsin q
little four year old girl resolved to try
the efficacy of prayer, but having a piout
mother and prOfane father. the raanll