Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1879-01-04

SATURDAY, : : JANUARY 4, 1879
MINORITY REPRESENTATION.
This question is likely to be again agi-
tated shortly after Congress rcassembcs.
which will be on Monday next, when o
bill, having for its object minority repre-
sentation in Congress, will be introduced.
II proposes to have the Legislature Of each
Btate, after the superintendent Of the next
census, 10 redistrict the State that the
minority q well as the majority may
be entitled to representation. The plan
proposed is an ingenious nj and il in force
ct the last election, would have secured
from the South over thirty Republican
members, twenty Of whom would have been
eolored men, while on the other hand the
Democrats would have gained q cores
ponding number in the North. Our pres
emit method, under which 100, 900 men in
every district are entitled to disfranchise
5000, is worthy only Of q barbarous or
semi-civilized state Of society, and 1t is
high time it was superseded. II, instead
Of the Republicans Of Massachusetts, elect
INK all the eleven members Of Congress, as
they did so many years, the Republicans
we're to elect seven and the Democrats four;
and II, instead Of the Democrats Of Ken
lucky e~lecting all ten Of the members from
that State, they we're to elect six and the
Republicans four, the result in Congress
might not be greatly different, but
every voter would be directly represented
BY the plan proposed. II carried out at
the next election, the Democrats will have
. small majority, but all parts Of the
country alike will be represented by Re-
publicans as we'll as Democrats. The
plan is to so divide each State
into districts that the districts may,
a. far as possible, be entitled to elect
either three or five members each, thus
permitting the majority Of voters to elect
two out Of three, or three out Of five. In
case the district Is entitled to five repre-
sentatives each, the elector can vote for
three candidates and no more. Where the
State is entitled to two representatives
only, as in the case Of Rhode Island and
Florida, it is TO be divided into two dis
tricts, each electing one member, as at
present, as in this case a majority and mi
nority representation would be impossible.
In all cases where there is an odd repre-
sentative, after the State has been divided
as nearly as possible into districts to be
represented by three or five members, q
separate district is to be set apart for this
representative, who is elected as at present.
1t is obvious to those who have made o
study Of the subject that some scheme of
minority or proportional representation
would enable the people, under a repub-
hcsn form Of government. to express their
wish more accurately and justly than by
the present method, under which nearly
half Of the voters 1.-THE beaten party are
not represented at all. The Democrats of
Iowa and Vermont, and the Republicans
Of Kentucky and Georgia are about as
thoroughly DISTINGUISHED as If they lived
in Egypt.
The project Of minority representation
il . wise one, and it ought to be realized
In every popular Government. Illinois is
the only State that has thus far tried it in
the selection of q Legislature, and there
the method adopted is one of the clumsiest
snd beast effective Of all the plans proposed.
Sooner or later, minority representation
will be the basis Of the Government, and
the time Is ripe for the adoption of some
better system Of voting, one that shall be
scientific in conception and somewhat just
In application.
The dispatches this morning announce
that another Congressional committee will
report upon the management Of the Gov
eminent Printing Office at Washington.
This department has been investigated
with yearly regularity for the past ten
years, but nothing has ever come Of the
numerous reports, and it generally ended
- all such Investigations do. The forth
coming one intimates that the Chief Clerk
Is implicated in the frauds charged. We
ere 10th 70 believe this. Mr.. Childs' repu-
tation for probity is so we'll established
that We should desire something more def
mite than vague charges by Congressional
committees.