Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1873-08-21

helds Mr.. Ewing, tells us that the mi
nOrity in such cases could not elect,
unless it consisted of 40per cent. of
the whole number of voters. He de
monstrates how this is accomplished
by avery ingenious device, which is
evidently the calculation of profound
ly-thinking wire workers. The party
fugleman, and drillmaster- general first
asceFtains the exact number of voters :;
then precisely how these are divided
in political sentiment If he learns
that 81 per cent. are one way and 80
per cent. the other He has the majori-
ty to nominate three candidates, and
he directs that Jones' small vote for A
and B, and Smith shall vote for B and
c, and so on, by nice calculation
distributes the ballots to the 81 per
cent, so ingenic usly that it secures the
election of A, B, and G, the three ma
jOrity candidates, and thus musters the
minority 80 per cent. entirely out of
service.
If. however, he finds that there is 40
per cent. of minority, he very gener
Ously has only two candidates nom
mated for the majority, and permits
the minority to nominate and elect
one
But the difficulty of finding, particu-
larly i'll our rural counties, where the
tricks of the politician are not SO well
known, drillmaster competent to dis
charge this great duty, and efficiently
muster the political forces, to reach
Il
suits, would prevent the masses of the
people ever being witnesses to this
wonderful thimble rigging perform
ance.
Such things might be accomplished
in the hands of skillful city politicians,
who are learned in all the art of po
litical juggling, but it could never be
made practical among the rural roos-
ters."
The right of the elector is restricted
by this system. HIS cannot vote for
three, though he should desire the
election of three of the candidates,
which could be done by the simple ma
jority system and resort must be had
to nice calculations. and political
tricks and devices, to elect three repre-
senting the views of the majority.
which must on it's face bear a striking
resemblance to fraud.
In the second place, proportional
representation, by what is called the
cumulative vote," is as delusive and
unsatisfactory as the restrictive vote.
The elector here is not limited IN his
vote, but may vote for one candidate
as many times as there are candidates
to be chosen, or he may cumulate on
more than one by dividing his votes
among the candidates as he may de.
sire.
By this system minority may elect
a majority of the officers to be chosen
Thus. if there are one hundred voters
forty one of them might cumulate
their votes on two candidates, thus
giving them each sixty one votes
majority of one7hundred votes. This
is, however, on the theory that the
majority voted each for three candi
dates fifty-nine votes as they would
have the privilege and right to do so
And this event could only be prevent
ed by the majority cumulatiug on tive
in like manner, which, after all, is il
effect the restrictive plan.
Com mbinations in politics are formed
and rings organized more in the inter
est of wrong than of right. We havt
heard much of the abuses of those in
dominant political parties. The pc
litical caucus that nominates; the
party that votes as dictated by tht
caucus the crack of party whip; tht
lash of party discipline, and the elec
ton of persons without regard t.
qualifications, by means of the ma
chinery of the party. These, gentle
men, point ont as the evils of th,
present system, and these are all to b.
forever done away by the new system
of proportional representation" -
This, like all other new inventions
has more virtues in theory than can b
verified in its practical application.
The crying evil of the day is that re
sulting from the combinations b.
which the rights of the people are out
ragged by frauds and corruptions.
The system proposed has in it tn
greatest inducements to wrongs an
frauds, and the means of accomplish
ing them with the greatest facility
1t insures an election, where combins
tions are made for the purpose, of th
worst elements of society, howeve
small the minority may he, and this
accomplished either in the restrictiv
or cumulative vote system. 1t is bi
for the ingenuity of the political trick
ster.
rTNbo o,ooE eouroo oF r1rofoofion 4
the rights of minorities in republica
government is the judiciary, and it
only in proportion that the Judge
aloof from the controlling popular wi
that he will be enabled properly to d
justice to all.
The doctrine of E'proportional req
resentation" can have no appiicatio
to the Judicial Office or function. Nc
can it afford therein any relief to IL
rights of minorities.
The judge has nothing to do wit
the questions that may divide the pee
pIe-he cannot know who is or wh
, is not in the majority. He is not ele,
ted to decide questions according
the division of sentiment among Il
people. Hence he does not, nor ca
! he be a representative of any sue
questions.
, The representative in the law-mal
ing body regards the opinions of tt
: constituent in enacting the law whic
declares the right. The judicial of
! Ger only decides upon the rights
| the citizens as declared by the Coz
) stltution and the law. He cannot owe
e throw the law because the minority {
= the majority of the people may be o.
+ posed to it,
e Then what application can IL
E proposed system have in the selectic