Los Angeles herald., 1890-04-13
SHAN ANXIETY FOR BALLOT REFORM.

There is something absolutely refresh
ing in the way Republican journalists
and publicists talk about ballot reform.
They roll the words around their tongues
with an JUNCTION that might deceive
chucklehead, but could not possibly
embarrass the vision of clear-headed
man. The object of pure suffrage is
to get at the will OF the people. Allow
ing an ignorant individual to vote un-
der a misapprehension is far more
venial offence than defeating the intelli-
gent expression of the will of a majority.
The ease and complacency with which
Republican politicians knock out whole
communities was illustrated very
conspicuously in the Tilden-Hayes
campaign, when their manipulation OF
the votes of Louisiana and Florida
probably exceeded any chicane ever de-
veloped in the history of constitutional
government. The same amiahle char
acteristic was shown in the disregard OF
the provision of the Constitution OF the
State of New York, which provides for
State census every ten years inter-
mediary between that of the Govern
ment of the United States. This
census was not taken in 1885 because it
would have given the Democrats the
control of the legislature OF the Empire
State, and enabled that party to elect
United States Senators. The latest in
stance of this Republican regard for the
inviolability of the suffrage was afforded
in the case of Idaho. When the bill for
the admission of that territory came up
in the House of Representatives the other
day, Speaker Reed declared it passed,
although only one hundred and thirty
members voted, one hundred and twen-
ty-nine ayes and one no. Reed found no
difficulty in tagging on enough Demo-
Gratis present and not voting to declare a
quorum voting. Thus, territory which
contains less than half the population of
a single ward of New York city, was
admitted as State, as far as one branch
of Congress could do the work, by less
than half of the House of Representa-
tives. But there was an even better
illustration of Republican methods in
the constitution adopted by Idaho, which
was pointed out by Mr.. Springer. That
gentleman called attention to the cir
cumstance that in the organic act itself
there was a villainous gerrymander.
Shoshone county, which is Republican,
and which contains a population
of $500, was given four mem
bers of the Assembly Of Idaho,
while Cassia and two other Democratic
counties. which have upwards OF $4,000
population, were given only two MEM
bers collectively. That is to say, this
Republican measure starts off in its
organic law with the declaration that it
only requires 2,375 Republican votes to
elect member of the legislature; !;
while it needs, under this iniquitous ap-
portionment, 1000 votes to elect a men,
Der in Democratic district. OF course,
everyone knows that there is no press
ing occasion for the admission Of Idaho
as a State. The measure is being pressed
forward in order to give the Republican
party two more United States Senators
and a. Representative. The. whole thing
is of piece with the high-handed
scheme by which two Republican United
States Senators will be seated from Mon
tana, against the expressed wish Of the
people of that new and promising State.
Ali-this hypocrisy would be farcical if
it were not violative of both the letter
and the spirit OF the law and of our in
stitutions. Our Republican fellow-citi-
zens figure capitally as professors Of
devotion to ballot reform, but their per-
formance is lamentably out of line with
their precepts. A little less cant and
little more honesty would vastly clarity
our political atmosphere.