The Labor enquirer., 1884-01-12

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AXE to elect one. II ten are to be cho-
sen. every tenth part Of the voters can
elect ono II il one hundred, then every
one-hundredth part. The number that
any pasty can elect will depend upon the
number Of quotas il can muster, and not
upon getting majority or plurality Of
the votes.
Suppose 20O, 900 voters, and 100 repre-
sentativee to be chosen. Then 1000
voters Will elect one. Suppose there are
four parties One Of 10000. one Of 10000,
one Of 10000 and one Of 10000; the first
will elect 40, the second 80, the third 20,
and the last 10 representatives There
are several plans by which this result
can be obtained. Oneis the Hare and
Andre method, which has been in ope-
ration in Denmark for the last twenty
eight years. By this method ballot
may contain only one name, or several
at the option Of the voter. If more
than one, each name will be numbered
reepDctively l.2, etc. The ballot VIII be
counted for only one Of these names, and
will be first counted for name No. /. If
this first name receives more votes than
q quota. the surplus votes will go to name
No. 2. II, however, name No. fails to
get quota, and therefore can not be
elected, all it does receive will go to No.
2, and so on until the ballot is counted
for and helps to elect some one of the
names thereon. lS
Another way is the free list method !:
A list of candidates is made out by each
party; and single quota Of voters can
constitute party as il the other plan.
"A single quota will elect one, and party
that can muster ten quotas will elect ten,
and SO on.
Another way Mr.. Alfred Cridge, well
known both in this country and in
Europe, as an able writer on this ques-
.tlon, says: "There should be but one
house Of the legislature elected aat large
That is, every voter should be permitted
to vote for one candidate, and no more,
the district lines being wiped out"
Under this last plan the quota-or num-
Der Of votes that it will require to elect
a candidate e-will not be fixed, or COM
pulsory; since if ten are to be, chosen,
the ten highest will be elected. There
are several ways to prevent a waste of
votes under this plan. Under our pres
ent method nearly one-half, and fre-
quently more, are thrown away on un-
successful candidates; while the remain
der merely register the will of the party
bosses, or whatever power is upperrnost,
and not the will Of the voters.
There are notifications Of the fore
going plans, and besides these, other
methods also, by which proportional or
cooperative voting can be secured. By
this system of voting, ia body Of voters
that is too small to elect a representative
can combine with another small body in
any part of the state in electing legis-
lature, or in any ward of a city in elect
ing city officials. It will also prevent a
large body of voters, entitled perhaps to
several representatives, from being left
without single one, as at present. The
plan might be modified by dividing a
large state into two or more districts, if
for any reason it should be desirable to
do so. Er H. EI4l " a . 4
While proportional voting enables the
best elements in society to cooperate,
and be represented blythe best, the worst
will only elect enough to represent them
selves. Suppose it to require quota of
1000 votes to elect candidate; then the
purchase Of that many votes would Sc
cure only one man, without in the least
injuring those who are not for sale.
The present method of forming parties,
and of keeping them UP, tends constantly
to create corruption. The incorruptible
voters are virtually prevented from CO.
operating. Unless they can poll a ma
jority or plurality of the votes in DIS
trict, their cooperation does no good.
On the other hand, the corrupt elements
can cooperate before they 90 to the polls,
and the law, which permits the majority
to get all, enables them to profit by their
cooperation, while it prevents the hon
est voters from receiving any benefit
from theirsunless they turn corruption
lists also, and thus spread the evil broad
cast. I'LL f., r
A great party formed of groups or
quotas, as described, will present a poor
field for political tricksters to operate in.
Each quota can note independent and
elect man who will be dependent on no
power but the quota which elected him.
Furthermore, no barrel-of-money will be
required. A new party can be formed at
short notice if the people so choose, be-
cause voters in all parties can, if they
like its principles, support it without
throwing their votes away The people
will make and unmake their parties at
will; now, they can have no will that is
:
worth having. When parties can be
formed without majorities all parties
will become progressive, and we can then
vote for both principle and party.
Finally, proportional representation
will permit every opinion to be out
spoken, and every interest to be defend