The weekly clarion., 1873-07-10
From the Courier Journal
Minority Representation iu
Illinois.

Hon. 3 +. Hunt, President of the Ohio
! Constitutional Convention, wrote p letter
! recently to Hon. Joseph Medill Mayor OF
! Chicago making inquiry concerning fIr
/ practical operation OF the principal of mI-
/ nority representation, which was lucOrpor-
| ated in the new Constitution Of Illinois.
The object Of the new system, as th1
| reader is probably aware, is tO give che WI.
/ nority representation iu the lcgl lHturn
and in the Judiciary, and thus restrain tHr
majority, In some degree at least from
making the tyrannical use Of their power
In a county, for example, where three rrU.
reseutatives are to be elected Co the LrgIa.I.
ture, the minority can, II they choose tU du
so, nominate but one candidate aud east for
him as many votes as they would have been
entitled 10 east for three C4Udidatrs, thU
provision of minority representation peg.
mittiug them to give triple vote inr INH
one candidate. II the provision viii enable
the minority to obtain "a res ppCtNblp repro.
sentatiOn in the Legislature and iu other
bodies which they could not have Other.
wise, it is a Wholesome oucs Tor however
intelligent and patriotic majority may Doe
i'm the beginning ot its existence, BOZ. frH.
deney is 10 lapse into partisan tyranny lui
eNcesses of all kinds. Political udNputurer..
who care for the SpOils only, aud ambitious
men, who love place more than principle
will soon push the upright aud cou-cirn-
tious men Of ideas 90 the rear and push
themselves 20 the front. Hence wise uuI
salutary legislation depends very largely
upon the restraining vigilance ot "a good
minority, and, 70 any scheme can bcdcylsrd
70 keep vigorous opposition party iu every
legislative branch iu the country, beneficial
results will follow IT, adoption.
In answer to thc question whether tIr
system Of minority representation was Civ
ing satisfaction in Illinois, where DO BIAS been
recently adopted, Mr. Medill uuht-ifuuugIl
answers la the Affirmative. llc says that iI
proves in practice To be just what was proc
missed aud predicted in its behalf The rN.
pertinent Is conceded 90 be- quite successful,
and Is regarded as great Improvement uu
the old One-sided system OF representation.
IL Is far more popular now than % WHs u
year ago, before the first election under DO.
Then there were doubts as tO it- prnctIrl-
bility. lts opponents said tho people would
not be able 10 comprehend BE-, uud ll1t con.
fusion would result ut the polls. thai hIN
men would slip into the Legislature hy Ii.
means, that IL would enable the minority tH
rule the majority, and that thr Interest u.
tina people would he harmed or sacrificed.
Not one OF these representations ui evil
has come 10 pass. The voters under .INI
the new system without difficulty or much
explanation, aud discovered nothing lN.
struse or incOmprohcnsible in It.
Mr. Mcdill further states That t.Ir "NNuI.
mass Of the people are now represented boo
the popular branch, instead ot mere mt.
joTty a. formerly. Every voter, whether U
Democrat or Republican, has now thp mlu
OF his choice in the 4 -scmbly tO represent
nun NfiAltfI IhINN ~ NOW NiII' i"'.II''.'|
in any district The minority is mo- longer
practically dsfranchised, rs was previously
the case The vote Of the majority I uUt
impaired or disturbed. The stronger party
at the polls have control Of the House. bu.
the weaker one g. represented iu prUplr-
tion 10 It's strength. The unjust monopoly
of representation is broken. Every brmU.
cratic district elected two Democrat HuI
one Republican. aud every Republican dI..
trict two Republican, and one Dem Drlt goo
the House. The exception tO this ruln only
occurred when a candidate Of thr stronger
party was unpopular. or that oi the weaker
party the litter man 90 such degree u- tI
cOnstrain enough Of his opponents tu Fu'.
for him 20 elect him. 40 party advantage
was gained from these exceptional casp.t
because they were as numerous on ono .IdH
rs the othcr-gaincr aud loser balancing
each other"
Mr.. Medill mentions a fact which certainly
speaks well for the system OF "mlunTifN
which a. that the "mluUri.N
mem bcrs" were the ablost men several Ul
the strongest and most influential member
of the Assembly were elected by tHH
- ''plumping' vote Of the minority hOWiuH
that tie minority, as a rule, were mono
careful ana conscientious Boo selecting rDp-
resentatves than the majority.