The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-12-14


competency to hold land in scveralty and
to utilize it for his own support.
Single Member Districts.
II is curious coincidence that the stress
of the opposition to the Redistribution bill
turns on the same controversy which in
France overthrow GAMBErrA'S Ministry and
has more than once cropped up to plague the
FERRY Cabinet. The measure agreed upon
by Mr.. GLADSTONE and Lord SALISBURY
breaks up large boroughs, TO which
more than one seat is assigned, into
smaller constituencies, each of which is to
return one member. This is equivalent, of
course, to a substitution for the scrutin de
tiste of the scru,u, dd'romiissement. or. in
other words. of our method of cloct!ng MEM
bcrs of the House of Representatives by
Congress districts instead OF collectively. on
State ticket, as our Presidential electors
are chosen.
Both systems have been tried in Franco,
and not only are both authorized by the
American Constitution, but men now living
can remember when in certain of our States
members OF the House OF II representatives.,
like Presidential electors, were voted for
on one comprehensive ballot. For that
matter, in South Carolina. before tho
civil war, members of the lower House,
by the Legislature; and here in Now YORK we
might, If we chose adops that process. But
in this country the conviction grew, and is
now universal. that the sole effective means
of rescuing the popular branch of the F"d-
cral Congress from the. domination OF state
rcSencics and Rings Is To insist on its cleo
ton by single districts i'll which local inter-
ests and influence will exercise Il just ascend
ancy. Nor is it by any means Impossible
that in the progress of innovation the poo
pie of the United States may adopt tho
same method for the choice of Presidential
electors. The electors at large. who corrc-
spond to the Senator'S would still, no doubt,
be voted for on single ballot distributed
throughout given State; but there is no
bar i'll the Federal Constitution to every Con-
grcss district voting for its own c!cctor.
When we recall how different would have
been the outcome of some Presidential cam
paigns had each Congress district been en-
powered by its State law to name a Presi-
dental clcctOr, we can appreciate the resent
mcnt and dismay with which the English and
Scotch Radicals behold the introduce ION of "a
similar principle in tn" large borouGhs which
they have hitherto controlled. The present
practice has given great power and OK
tension to what is known as tho
Birmingham caucus system, under which
borough would be nominated on "A collective
list by IA caucus, precisely rs arc our Prcsi-
dental electors by State Conventions. BY
this process Il large Radical majority in one
part OF the town would more than ncutralizc n
small Conservative majority III another; and
unless particular name We're scratched"
or unless provision were made for minority
representation. all the names upon the caucus
ticket would be returned.
Should, however, tho new provision of the
Redistribution bill become n law on the re-
assembling of Parliament, not only may
Lord RANDOLPH CHURCHILL stand with n
prospect of success for one of the Birming-
ham districts, but even in tho others the in
fluence of local masnatcS may seriously in
terfere with the virtual dictatorship hcrcto-
fore enjoyed by the CHAMBEKLAIN clique in
that Radical centre, and gradually extended
over other large boroughs In the north Of
England and in Scotland, where the same
party machinery has been adopted.
But, while we can see ut "a glance why Mr..
CHAMBFHLAIN is as anxious to keep as
GAMHErrA was To gain the powerful instru-
mcnt Of party organization furnished by the
scrutn de iste, it is loss easy TO understand
Lord SALIsBUHY's preference for single dis
tricts, which should be apparently not moro
fatal to the Birmingham caucus than to the
control OF nominations heretofore cx-
crciscd by the Carlton Club and the Con-
Scrvatve Association. Moreover, although
in the absence OF adequate Information
about the Redistribution bill we cannot
say whether tho principle Of single districts
is made applicable to counties as well as
boroughs, consistency and equity will COM
pei such application In the ond; and then the
Conservatives might be expected to lose in
rural what they would gain in urban con-
stitucncies. But OF course Lord SAILS
BURY would not make the new cleo
toral provision an essential condition
of the compromise without previously
making tho most careful calculations
OF profit and loss. Besides. he may think
that conservatism, regarded as a sentiment
rather than n definite programme. has a
good deal to hope for from the disintcgration
Of both of the existing parties, and especially
from freeing the old Wings from the species
OF terrorism which the Birmingham caucus
is beginning to exert.
In brief, Mr.. CHAMBERLAIN must forosoe
that he would be the chief victim of the sim
gle district system; and he is likely to spare
no effort during the recess to call forth or
manufacture imposing demonstrations Of
Radical dissatisfaction with the measure.
But the Ministry are bound in honor to car