The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-02-17
THE RIGHTS OF N1NoRITIBs.


Difference is shown 10 the will of the minority
that the best Interests Of the country are sub
served. Viewing the question from a philO-
sophical standpoint, will not the country be
freer, will not tho ends most conducive TO II
just administration of the affairs Of tho gov
eminent be reached, il the rights Of the
minority are acknowledged and respected ?
In the next administration the president will
be republican, the lower house Of congress
republican by an efTectiveS working ma
jority md the senate very equally divided
with a slight preponderance in favor OF the
democracy. Now, suppose the presiding
officer of the senate was democrat, would
not this be reasonable and equitable equal
ization, at least one much more 50 than
where The president and vite-president were
both republicans OF democrats and both
houses Of congress republican or democratic?
The republicans, under the state Of thiugs,
we suppose rs to tho next administration,
would have slight advantage, an advantage
about on proportion with their majority Of
the public votes as given by states, although
the democracy has mBjoIi.y Of the popular
vote. If the will of the country is bas. ez.
pressed by tue vote of tho states this
slight republican propondoroHco expresses
that will, and the advantage accrucg to the
democracy expresses the viii snd tue rigd
Of the minority. Now, it is being moo.,d
that General Arthur is not eligible ~ tho
vice-presidencH it being charged that he is
not native of this country and therefore
cannot constitutionally occupy TIE position
This question having been raised, the posi-
bilitiea and perhaps the probabilities arc that
it will be investigated, and If il should trans
piro that he cannot hold the Office to which
no was elected, it will devolve upon the SEN
ate to elect presiding officer who viii be
ex-oillcio vice-president. That body, with
tho votes of Senators David Davis and Va
homo on the democratic side, could elect
democrat, and then there would DO Just such
an administration rs we have supposed, fl1
two years at least. If il happens and
stranger things have happened, that Vico-
President-elect Arthur cannot mold the posi-.
ton, will it not seem like revelation, a
provldential ordaining Of a policy which
should obtain in the political affairs of our
oNuntrv0 npa nf ,hn 49,; ,,.t ,t,t,-,.,.,, IT..
ever had, the lamauted Ben. Epporson, who
died in the prime of his intellect and ut a
time when Texas most needed his counsels,
once said that there should DO some proyis-
ion by law by which the rights of the minor
ity would BIO recognized, and representation
to them in all legislative bodies be guaran-
teed, and there is u sound philosophy, an ex-
allied patriotism and true justice in the sug-
gestion. Overwhelming msjorities become not
only careless, not only loose and Indifferent
but arrogant and insoleut Ms well. A fair
representative OF tho minority in state legjs-
latures and in congress it seem,l TO Us would
be check upon hasty, ill-tmod or partisan
legislation. We SEQ states gerry ndercd
and legislative and congressional dis So
formed that the party doing the gorryman,
dering can continue itself in power when it
may really be largely in the minority in the
whole state. Look at New Jersey, for in
stance, at this time. A republican Legislature
in that state so apportoned it into legislative
districts as to continue the legislature repub-
lican, although its a democratic state, and
by this means republican was elected to
succeed n democrat in tho United States
senate after the 4th of next month.
A republican senator does not
represent the sentiments OF a majority of tho
people in New Jersey, that majority being
democratic. IL the rule we are attempting
to illustrate obtained, this would not perhsps
DO Objectionable, but IS it does not, why,
then, it is wrong. Now, in all caldor, md
vic7ing the question from strictly consev-
alive and patriotic standpoint would not
the welfare a1d general prosperity and hap
piness Of tho country be best served If b,
law it was provided that each political party
in state should DO represented in con.
gresa according to its numerical strength?
For instance, suppose that unie
the new apportionment Texas is
given ten mOmbers of the lover
house of congress. Well, suppose there arc
100000 democratic, $4,000 republican,, md
25,O0O graenback voters in the state; th.t
would be an average of 1880 voters par
congressman. Making fractional allowances
this would give the greonbackers one con-
gresham, tho republicans two and Tho
democrats seven. All political parties would
then DO represented. In presidential cleo.
tons it could be arranged that tho eau
didato getting the greatest number Of lec.o.
raj votes would DO elected president, and .he
one receiving the next greatest number viae
president AS for senators, provision could
b made that states electng senators should
choose from that party next in numerical
strength to the party elecliug the proildint
and having majority in tho house orrepru-
sentatves, so that the senate would always
have small majority in favor of the perl,
next in strength to tho party really in The
majority in the country. While these Idea.
may DO imprscticsble, we do not think they
are Utopian. Itmay ba that such q plan AZ