The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-03-29
SECOND EDITION.
a O'clock.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE /.

arisen under the present laws make
it almost impossible 10 elect any
candidate for any Office where the dis'
trict Is somewhat close Last year III
took six elections before the memhers
OF the general assembly were selected
from Providence, and the people are
tired OF elections. Plurality elections
are good enough for many OF the states,
and il should be good enough Tor TINS
state. But this bill Is worse than the
present law
The speaker had heard that some had
said that they did not favor plurality
elections because IL would
Result In Minority Rule.
He knew OF no such a minority rule
law anywhere as this substitute Is
1t even provided that members should
hold over aud be kept in Office VIII o
had not even been nominated, 10 say
nothing OF being elected, by the people.
The hold-over principle was the nearest
TO an absolute minority rule that
he knew of. IL had become an
easy matter in this statS TO
defeat an election in small towns.
And whenever a candidate was distaste-
ful to the party managers 1T would re-
suit frequently that he would be de-
feated SIMPLY for the sake of having the
old candidate hold over.
He did not believe that the few gentle
men who proposed this substit ute really
wanted it nor did they believe that the
people would vote for it, Mr.. Blodgett
said he hoped the general assembly
would not be deceived by the claim
of the committee that il would
give its reasons when the bill
was properly before the house. The
substitute was "A radical change from the
original plurality bill as sent down by
tho senate III substitute Is were adopt
al NIL ais Ina
aud would not be before the house at all.
Mr.. jerks said the fundamental prin-
ciple OF the rule of the people was peace
able government by the majority. The
bill sent down from the senate subverted
entirely that principle aud allowed the
minority TO rule. 1t had been
stated that plurality elections were
the laws of many states, but
he knew OF no states where the princi-
pie was In force. As matter or fact
this law proposed an entirely new method
OF dealing with the difficulties OF
Multiple Elections.
But 1t proposed TO remedy evils by COM
pletely changing the whole spirit OF
the constitution. Substitute b proposed
to remedy the defects by method
in full harmony with the constitution OF
the state. Plurality laws were too neS
eveu in some of the newest states to have
been proved valuable by experience. Five
years did not give enough time to learJ
its full effects, and that was about the
longest time: that: they hal been tried.
AS to the hoiu-over principle OF substi-
Is he said that IL was not new. IL was a
general law in municipal and state eec
tions that the existing officer should
hold over until his successor were elected.
Mr.. jerks further explained that the
latter section provided that here no OIL
ficer could hold over plurality should
al tr, 4 ha oil lha
mittee Thought they should provide
some method of remedy that is conser-
vative. He was not sure that the people
wanted either substitute A or su bstitute
b. or any legislation whatever. But one
thing he was sure of. that is that IL
would be better to hold on to existing
conditions carefully, and to consider this
matter very cautiously before acting OH It,
Mr. MuIholland called the attention OF
Mr.Jenks to the fact that for many OF th
city officers OF Providence, its aldermen
and all officers In certain sections of the
state plurality elections prevailed. AS
TO the fact that plurality elections had
not been mentioned until recently, he
said that the reason was because
until recently there had been
In the majority and absolutely ruled
The question now was betwee the peo.
pie aud this committee. The people want
plurality elections. This committee
want two majority elections and a hold
over. He believed the peoples demand
was right aud should be listened TO.
The next speaker MAS Eiery Wilson.
who said
The fundamental principle Of our form OF govern
IN ) was rlgiaiy adhefed 10 by III fransrs Of the
constitution IN providing for the election OF the
ments. In which the power of go'ernment was
sted by thai instrument.
Ihat'he exrcut We department should be limited
IN term OF Siiice, and e the people might lot be
elect on the day appointeJ, the neral assembly,
freshly cnesen by
A Majority vote
OF the people. una e the electorate for the
completion OF that election. aud In that body was
so llaced primarily the creation of the judicial
department. This wa. right the an II is right
now. Principles do not change. We may outgrOw
he detail Mhisn /, provided lof m,Slng ms ,, then
60 ne for such an alteratoi now. Our constitution
shall be completed wlthin sven days, except in
the OF tue c,ty OF Providence. which = COM
until its assembly representation i chosen
Tn excep ION when emtaiied great expense and
just y. been the subject u mucn unfayoraoe crit-
ioreseen al the ume ts ad jpsioh but that Is nos
ar. fiecton upon ,ts Trainers IL Us very easy To be
ital Of brains 4 This provision In regard to tie
city OF Providence as in my opinion IT does,
Unnecessary Expense and Trouble,
IL II our Z. W. anu tne part OF coinmon sense to
remedy t in the manner provided In the constitu-
ton The scope of the amendment under dis.
eusslon Is do this and 10 place all the cities and
towns ~ the state upon The same footing tlu
election OF members OF the genera assembly.
Under the constitution and statutes today the city
ROY dence must h0ld clt ctlons once to., davs
until IT. assembly delegation Is elected; ia
nsOckct, Pawtucket and IL towns iNiioa
into voting districts alter three trials are lad.
ana IN Newport after two trials, N no choice II
made. the old nlemters hold over and In towns
not Distracted. the electors may adjourn after tue
hfst trat. OF all the el ctiUns may be had whi h
over provision, except that by special acts the town
Of Hopkinttn n has only Two trials lhs
Theory of Ibis Amendment
IL that whenever Il may go into effect the men,
bers OF the general assembly then In existence viii
have been elected by majority vote that a ma
jority vote Is proper; that until a majority agree
ulon a change there should be none; that there Il
no loud demand for change, a the people IN two
Trials cannVt agree on On,i ana that h whole
ststs s.ouid o. pl ced upon the same basis these
state Will elect members Of the assembly IA,
precisely the same manner a Newport aud iiop.
kinton 90 today. In those places there viii be ic
cnenge. In Noonsocket pawtucket and the Dis
tr.,tcd towns. the only change Will be- limiting tho
tias 10 TWO Instead Of thf and dOtDt ~ any ont
pres nj can remtmbff when "a any of sIc~e place,
more than two tr ais have ever been -squred
In tire ely uf rONiuf nee the Nskatious rcyantrf
elections Will CeasU. auu the expense ud tlgliuls