Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-07-09
THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM IN
BRITAIN.

A cDREEHoPDESr writing from
London to the 3 ston Hcrad says that
the British electoral syslem abounds
with anomalies, and Is even rich In
contra iictions. Hence, Il ii said 10
work with moderate ease aud decent
speed.
Two great theories obtain with re.
gard to the franchise, onu that II is u
natural right, the other aipiivlicgu.
The advocates Of the former, though
having gained many points IN the way
Of extending aud p)pularlalng the
franchise, yet are far from realizing
their political ideal. The others still
hold the basic point Of their theory, Ia
the exercise OF the plural vote, u sur
viyal OF the old doctrine OF aristocratic
selection.
Al the elections now In progress II
seems strange to the American oh.
server to see the modern ballot with
It's marked democratic characteristics
side by side with the privileged plural
vote ri the rich man. One In meas.
ure representing, In Idea, II not In sub.
stance, universal adult male franchise,
the other property interests.
The law provides that elections must
be held within n certain number Of
days after tho dissolution OF Pnrla.
ment, but the actual day Of polling IL
not the same throughout the country.
The day IL determined Tor each district
by the officer who supervises the elec.
ton IN that district. This is done prin.
cipally to accommodate the plural vote.
a citizen holding property in three OIL
more counties could not exercise his
full franchise privileges II elections
occurred In the different counties
on tho same day. II IA not un.
usual to see man vote In Middlesex
one DAY, Ia Lancashire the next, In
Midlothian the next ami wind up In
Galway day or Two after. But war
lie being wagcJ directly on this sys.
tenn by the Radicals, whose cry 10 tone
man one vote.r
Another anomaly 10 the unequal
distribution Of representation. For
instance, one borough returning one
member to Parliament may have 5000
voters, while another with equal repre-.
sentation has only 1900. Tho Clllhe.
roe division Of Lancashire, tho eastern
division Of Kent, the Romtord dlvI.
sion Of Essex and the Hands.
worth division OF Statlordshirc,
each has $4,000 electors, aud
only one representative each,
while Rutland, South Kerry aud
BuleAhlro with an average Of about
1000 each he's equal representation.
The smallest borough Is that OF XII.
kenny, with 1905 electors. Tho largcat
county constituency is the partially
metropolitan district OF Romfoid, with
1880 electors.
The House OF Commons, when full,
Ia composed OF $40 members. At most
I Wv lA'hNAA'AE NhAhlhtA mas gnll tthl
ing capacity for $50. but, perhaps,
not more than twice In n session Is the
apartment taxed to Its utmost. The
mumberH who can not lind seats
lounge In the Hobbies, in the smoking
rooms or In the reireshment depart.
ment.
The British member Of Parliament
receives no salary. 1t costs ON an
average about 5000 to contest an el,c.
ton. On the candidates fall the ex.
pcnses Of all the machinery OF voting.
In TACT candidate has to deposit a
handsome sum In advance OF the cam.
paign US u security for eTpeuseo.
There are -, 900 voters at the unlver.
sities, which send nine members 10
Parliamcut Most Of those votey4, 10
not all, are pluralsls, that Ia they OK.
erclse franchise rights somewhere else
also. The univcalty members are all
Conservatives except one, and he is
! opposed to home rule fur ireland