The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-10
ase Of Congressman Sumner !? At the

would certainly have been reelected.
OF what use is it for the people to elect
true man occasionally if he is to be put
on the retired list the moment he proves
himself true to their interest?
But the beneficial action of proper.
tional representation may begin before
a party is numerous enough to be en-
titled to elect congressman. Before it
is so entitled it may be numerous
enough to elect dozen representatives
to the state legislature. The fact that
this is impossible now prevents thou
sands who approve the principle of
new party from joining it-merely to
"throw away their votes"-and this
again may prevent it from ever getting
representation in congress il fact,
may cause its death, or else paralyze it
as in the case of the greenback party.
Such a system is, to say the least, a
monster stumbling block in the path of
national prosperity and progress.
Why should a numerous body of
voters who wish to support newly dis
covered principle be compelled to throw
away their votes in trying to support
said principle? And WHY should
party new or old. small or great, advo-
eating measures which may be of vital
interest to society, be deprived of the
support of thousands Of Its friends by a
few geographical lines and ballot box
majorities?
If 1t be admitted-as it must be-that
the improvement and progress of society
is both natural and necessary, why not
give those who first discover an impor-
tant principle, perta ming 10 such i'm
provement and progress an opportunity
to be supported by all who become con-
verted thereto? If the ballot will not
serve this purpose nor yet enable the
people to hold on to what they have
once gained, it certainly is devoid of the
chiet attributes it ought to possess. That
1t Is utterly worthless for either of these
two purposes at present and must re-
main worthless so long as the present
compulsory regulations governing its use
con tinue, has been clearly proven.
1t has not only been proven by Rath-
ematics, but by facts known t. all.
Facts of which the foregoing are only
small portion. Facts which "the
paper" reiterate nearly every day, year
in and year out. Facts which prove
that more than 55,OOO0OO of people are
as completely under the dominion of a
few tricksters as were only 100000,
little more than 100 years ago under the
dominion of the most powerful nation
of that day.
What humillating exhibition we are
making of ourselves What would the
men of '76 say were they living? or
rather what would they do? They
made a government for themselves. If
we are half the men" they were we
can make ballot for ourselves.
The present ballot served their pur-
pose at that time, although 1t was soon
found to be imperfect. 1t served them
until population increased and villages
grew to great cities; until politics "be-
came a great business" requiring i'm
mense capital until opportunities for
acquiring great wealth by political man
nuvreing became numerous, and until
that wealth was lavishlY expended at
every election to thwart the peoples
will.
More might be said concerning the
changed conditions which have at last
made our ballot a mere sham, and
mere counterfeit of what it once was,
and more especially of what a real bal
lot is. Much more might be said in IA
vor of the new and against the old sys-
tenn. One feature in particular of the
latter ought to receive especial notice,
namely, that it is the worst game Of
chance in existence. This one feature
alone would require an article devoted
wholly thereto-with diagrams and
election statistscs to fully prove the
charge
But action of some sort is the next
thing in order-with me. If what has
already been said, in this and the pre-
vious article, does not awaken an inter
est, further effort on my part will be
useless Who will act? What paper
will help to spread the light concerning
the ballot as it should be?
SIMEON STET5oN.
SAN Francisco, Station B.
fhe World Over,