New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-13
CUMULATIVE AND INDEPENDENT VOTIE6

CUMULATIVE AND INDEPENDENT VOTIHS.
Among all the schemes devised by thinking
men for the reform of politics there are few
which have been received with more favor
than that of cumulative voting. 1t was IA
yorite scheme of Mr.. Greeley, and his earnest
and persistent advocacy Of it led to its adops
ton in principle by the State of Illinois ana
its application there to tire election OF MEM
bers of tho Legislature We printed yesterday,
in the address of Professor Walker to the Kent
Club of Yale College, strong and unreserved
commentator Of the syst0m. His argument
ia very much the same with which our readers
are familiar. In his opinion cumulative voting
would break down the caucus system; would
prevent the nomination of unworthy candi-
dates; among several candidates it would
elect the best; by strengthening mlnoritIes 1t
would make majOrities moro vigilant and cir
cumspect But above all it would put the
caucus on its good behavior, entirely destroy
its arrogant assumptions. and would render it
merely advisory, as it should properly be, and
not dictatOrial.
When we have devised the exact scheme
which will put into practical operation the
ideas and intentions of the advocates Of cumu-
lative voting, it is unquestiOnable that it will
accomplish all tho aforementioned desirable
results. That it has not yet done so In the
cases in which it has been tried is equally
unreasonable. In the State of Illinois it has
not in the least interfercd with the power of
the party caucus. 1t has simply given
the caucus moro to do anu o fresh
l. - in
extent it has diminished the power of
general central committees, and has thrown
into the contests for the State Legislature in
the several districts q swarm of new COM
plications and surprises. But the results have
not always been such as to crafty those de-
sirous of reforming and cleansing the processes
of politics. 1t has not appeared that individ-
ual voters availed themselves to any great
extent of the privileges thus allowed them;
the little local caucuses, on the contrary, after
q careful canvass, have generally issued their
secret orders to the captains of tens, telling them
whom to scratch and whom to "plump for"
For instance, in one district where first-rate
man and secOnd-rats man were running, the
party managers grew a little alarmed for the
latter, and ordered their adhcrents to cumu-
late on him, thinking the former was safe
under all contingencies. In consequence, MIR.
Second rate was trumphantly elected, and Mr..
First rate, one of the leading men in the
county, was inglOriously beaten. This
was an accident, but sometimes the same
thing is effected by design. man
of large influence allows his name to be used
for the Legislature, to help the party ticket,
with the express understanding between him
and his associates that he is to be scratched
off the ballots on election day, and some in
significant person on the ticket with him elected.
The system has given great prominence to
boiling candidates, it is true; but boiling,
however well we may think OF it, is not al-
ways an unmixed good. If you set dozen
candidates in the field, out of whom three
are to be chosen, it would be pleasant and
soothing to be able to believe that the best three
would be successful. But we are not permit
ted to be sure of this. Too often the close
and corrupt little Ring of the County Court
house brings in its man, through the power of
compact organization and the industry natural
to men who make their living ont of politics.
Still, cumulative voting is good idea and
deserves fuller and fairer trial than it has
ever yet received. OF course we only regard
IL as u means I'd all emu, anu IL tnc Gnu Cdil De
attained by other means, we suppose no one
would sickle for q perpetuatiOn of the cumu-
lative vote. What we want is an enlight-
ened public spirit which shall make it i'm
possible for party caucuses to disregard the
claims of intelligence and decency to q proper
representation at tho polls. This is matter
of far greater Importance than that of the
equitable representation of minOIities. If this
purpose can be accomplished by building up
everywhere q solid mass of independent voters,
who hold the general welfare above party
spirit, and who will steadily refuse to support
any man whom they do not respect for any
office whatever, all that is aimed at
in cumulative voting would DO more than
accomplished No secret caucus orders,
no skillful manipulation of rural precincts could
do much harm, if both parties were made
clearly to understand that the balance Of power
was in the hands of q few thousand men in
each state, who could not be fooled or driven
into voting for the common ruck of political
tricksters. We do not think it is utopan to
hope that progress is being made in that direc-
ton. The declaration of independence came
first, rs was fitting, from the leading newspapers
of the country. Three years ago blind parti-
sanship was the rule among the press now it is
the rare and contemplate exception. Gradually
the infection Of self-rcspect extended to polii-
clans, Selling of course the best ones first.
Trunbull, Sumner, Schurz were followed out