Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-01
The " Unit Rulev In France.

bic instances since its ADOPTION seems about
TO receive a new demonstration in the prob
able adoption of measure which, under
the leadership Of Gambetta, passed the
chamber Of deputies last week. This meas
ure proposes to make fundamental change
in the method Of choosing the members of
that body. The national Legislative system
of republican France is similar TO that Of
the United States. IL consists of two houses,
the chamber of deputies and the senate.
The present membership of the former is
five hundred thirty-two, chosen by universal
suffrage. For administrative purposes,
France is divided into eghty-six depart
ments, which are sub-divided into three hun
bred sixty-two ACCOMPLISHMENTS, or admin
istrative districts. Each reimbursement
is entitled to elect one deputy, and if its
population exceeds one hundred thousand,
for every additional one hundred thousand
or fractional part of this number of inhab
itants it is entitled to one additional dep
uty. These deputies have hitherto been
chosen in the same manner as members Of
congress are elected by the states Of this
Union, each district voting independently
in the election of its representative. If the
United States should vote 10 elect its rep
resentatives in congress in the same manner
as presidential electors are now chosen it
would be substituting in this country
precisely the methods which the French
chamber Of deputies now proposes to intro
duce in France in the choice of its members.
The three districts in Vermont, or the thirty
three in New York; instead of voting indie
pendently for their representatives, would
have their own choice confirmed or set aside
according as each district was in harmony
with the political majority of the state or
opposed to it. New York would have been
represented in the last congress by thirty
three democratic congressman, and in the
present by thirty-three republican, instead
of delegation of mixed political COM
plexion. An event as anomalous in its
character as that which gave to the repub-
licans one presidential elector in the state
of California in the late election would be
the only means of breaking the political
unity of states delegation in congress.
The merits, or rather the dement's, of this
method of holding elections received sharp
collateral discussion in this country year
ago in connection with the election of dele
gates to the Chicago and Cincinnati con-
ventions. With characteristic and signif-
cant strength Of expression, the practice
was popularity denounced as the "infamous
unit rule" and from the fate of its at
tempted enforcement especially at Chicago,
it is quite safe to predict that no American
Gambetta will have the hardihood to cham
pion so unpopular measure as the ilustri-
GUS French republican has induced his fell
low deputies to adopt in France. The
French senate is largely republican. Gam
betta's influence seems to be in the ascend
ant there as well as in the chamber of depu-
ties, and the senate will be further in
huenced by that rule of parliamentary
etiquette, equally powerful in the English
house of lords, which forbids the men,
bers of the upper house to interfere
in those matters which especially re-
late to the constitution of the popular body
of the national legislature and concerning
which it is supposed to be the best and the
proper judge. So the adoption of the "unit
rule " in France seems to be foregone con.
clusion. The republican majority in the
chamber of deputies is already very strong,
and as most of the departments of France
have large republican majority on the
popular vote, the obvious effect of the adop-
ton of the new method of electing depu-
ties will be greatly to diminish the number
of imperialists and monarchists in the
chamber, and to render it practically a re-
publican unit in its political composition.
Indeed the great object of the change is to
counterfeit the powerful local influence OF
monarchists and imperialsts by opposing to
it the republican majority in the aggregate
vote OF the districts. In this country a
measure like this would be fatal to repub-
lican form of government, but as American
republicans should be the wiser judges of
political good and evil in the measures
which affect the inviolability and perpetuity
of their institutions, so French republicans,
who have displayed much of wisdom and
discreet courage in many trying ordeals,
should be trusted to decide what is for the
highest welfare of their republic. Repub-
lcan France is environed by hostile neigh
bors and beset with cunning foes within.
Her dangers are peculiar to herself. Amer
lea is a stranger to the perils that threaten
her sister republic, and the measures she
adopts for her security cannot be judged by
a common standard. Still, in seeking secu-
rity against the Vaccinations of internal
foes France will be fortunate if in the adop-
ton of this new measure she does not incur
greater and more fatal danger at the hands
of ambitious and INSCRIPTIONS republican
leaders, Americans are familiar with the
power of individuals in the manipulation
of state conventions. The familiar agencies
Of American politics may secure the nomin-
alton and election of deputies from the de-
partments favorable TO the personal ambi-
tions of given leader. Gambetta is now
the central figure in French politics, and the
final adoption of his favorite measure may
be his first decisive step towards the presi-
dency of the French republic. But Gam
beta is patriotic as well as ambitious, and
his elevation to the presidency would be the
triumph of a more advanced and aggressive
type of French republicanism. Americans
will pray that no misfortune may come to
France from the adoption of measure
which, though intended to strengthen the
republic, they must still regard with serious
apprehension.
CHAIRS FOR SHoPGIRLs.-This is mat
ter that has been forced upon the attention
of tradesmen in New York city by the re-
cent law approved by Governor Cornell,
making it obligatory upon shopkeepers to
furnish chairs for their female assistants.
1t is considered doubtful whether the stat
ute can be enforced. A very few employers
of large numbers of girls allege that they
would discharge them if forced to provide
chairs. Many of the shopkeepers inter-
viewed, although averse to using chairs, from
lack of space or other reasons, have human