Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-06-11

The question of cumulative voting has been
discussed in these columns very fully in the
past and we have yet seen no reason to change
our views upon the subject. The principle of
minority representation, which is the essence
of cumulative suffrage, is right and just.
There is no reason, either in justice or COM
mon sense, why nearly one-half Of the people
of State or nation should be denied repre-
sentaton simply because they did not cast
majority of votes Suppose, for the sake of
argument, that the Democrats Of a certain
county own etenths of all the property in
the county, casting within two or three hun
dred of as many votes as the Republicans,
and they desire to be represented i'll the Cen
eral Assembly by men Of their own choice, is
it ANYTHING more than fair that they should
be represented in proportion to their voting
strength? We think not. Now how would
the cumulative suffrage system operate? Let
us illustrate. Take county where there are
fifteen thousand votes divided between the two
parties, as eight to seven, with FIVE representa-
tives to be elected to the General Assembly,
and what would be the result Of cumulative
voting? The seven thousand Democratic
voters, knowing their relative strength, would
concentrate their votes upon two men instead
of the whole five, and the consequence would
be that the two men would receive five times
seven thousand votes or thirty-fve thousand,
being seventeen thousand FIVE hundred each.
The Republicans, being placed in like posi-
tion, would cast their five votes for three men
instead of five, thus securing five times eight
thousand votes to three men, so that each cam
didate would receive thirteen thousand three
hundred and thirty-three instead of eight thou.
sand, thus electing three Republicans and two
Democrats.
If the Democrats should attempt to elect
three men, of course the result would be the
same as if they had concentrated their entire
vote upon two, for the three Republicans
would have thirteen thousand three hundred
and thirty.three each, and the three Demo-
Gratis but eleven thousand six hundred and
sixty-siX each.
Cumulative suffrage is only available where
there are more than two Offices Of the same
nature. 1t could not operate with State
offices, where there is but one officer, like the
Governor, or any other State officer for the
principle is, not that the votes for candi-
date for an office of one kind can be concen-
trated upon a candidate for an entirely differ
ent office, but that the offices shall all be of
the same nature. Votes for State treasurer,
comptroller.general, &C.. could not be con-
centrated upon a Governor, and vice versa.
The offices being wholly different, the voters
could not cumulate votes of one kind and
throw them for an officer of a totally different
character. For members Of the General
Assembly, where there are more than two,
for county commissioners, and in municipal
elections, this cumulative voting could be
exercised but not where there is but one
Office to be filled.
There is nothing so detrimental to republi-
can forms of government as powerful majorl-
ties, and the sooner we break up the combl-
nations which exist by virtue of these majori-
ties the better it will be for the republic. All
any party need desire is fair working ma
iority in either House, and this we would
have in the General Assembly if the cumula-
tive system prevailed If the votes of the
two parties in this State stand as nine to six,
the House of Representatives would contain
seventy-fve Republicans and forty-nine Dem
ocrats, while the Senate would have twenty
Republicans and thirteen Democrats.
But the cumulative system could not ope-
rate in an election of State senator, because
there is but one Office aud one candidate from
each party. Which ever is in the majority
must necessarily carry the day. In every
county in the State there would be at least
one member of each party upon the board Of
county commissioners, if this system was in
operation, and who could conscientiously find
fault with that? In Democratic counties
there would be one Republican commissioner
and two Democrats, and in Republican coun-
ties one Democrat and two Republicans.
We cannot understand how any man who
desires the welfare and prosperity of the State
can object to the introduction of cumulative
suffrapp in Sunth Carolinn