The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-09-18

VI OAO OOhaUOEi 6uu, Oy m04uS 1aun1dG
to all men, he may be selected, not
even by the will of that onesixteenth,
but by the infnitesimal fraction of the
voters of the State who happen to fill.
one-fourth of the seats in the Legisla-
ture, and thus constitute majority of
the caucus of the party dominant in
that body; such things have happened.
To be clear, take State which casts
400, 900 votes. A Amajority of the Legis-
lature is elected from counties having
200, 900 votes, Or often less when there
Is a gerrymander. A majority in the
caucus may, therefore, have been
elected from counties having 100000
votes. But nearly half of these were
OF the opposite party, leaving the ma
jOrity of the caucus elected by $4,000
voters, These members were nomi,
mated in their respective conventions
usually by a majority only of their
party in their respective counties, or
say $4,000. which is one-sixteenth Of
the 400, 900 voters of the State; whereas
if elected by popular vote of the whole
State, as he should be, a Senator must
be the expressed choice at the ballot
box of more voters than have cast their
ballots for any other man, and his
nomination must be made by the wish
of at least one fourth of the voters,
subject to approval of a majority at
the ballot box. Can there really be any
difference Of opinion as to which is the
fairest and most American mode of Sc
lection, or as to which is least open to
corruption, or is most likely to repre-
sent faithfully the wishes of the peoples
1t is true States are not always so close;
but many are, and any State may at
any election become so. What par
ticular sixteenth of the whole vote
shall dt eide the result is rarely left to
chance. Skillful manipulation and the
adroit use of money for political ma
chinery (not necessarily for bribery
decides the matter, and not the peoples
will. That is evil enough.
The change to election by the people
would greatly lessen the chances for
corruption. The members of the party
convention of the State, brought to-
gether directly from the people and so
soon dispersed again among them, are
not so subject to the subtle arts of the
lobbyist and professional wire puller
which are brought to bear on the mem
Der of the Legislature as soon as his
nomination is probable, and continued
till after the election of Senator ia over,
when, like a squeezed lemon, he can be
thrown aside. Besides the party con-
vention acts with open doors, subject
to public sentiment and conscious that
it's choice, if not wisely made, is liable
to rejection at the polls. No such safe
guards surround the deliberations of a
caucus.
A Senator who is tempted while in
Office to disregard the wishes and the
interests of the people, is emboldened
by the knowledge that if by certain in
fuences he can control the sixteenth
more or less-who compose a majority
in the nominating conventions of those
counties which send a majority of the
legislators of the dominant party, he is
safe for re election and knows further
that without being the choice OF any
perceptible element among the people
it is sufficient if he can secure a major
ity of the caucus. But he will pause II
he knows his denomination must com
mand the approval Of d majority of his
party convention and an endorsement
of majority of the voters of the whole
State at the ballot-box. Is there any
reas on why the people should not have
the potent assurance of the fidelity OF
their servant in his office9
One of the disgraces of our institu
tions is what is known as gerryman-
dering. 1t is disgrace because its pur-
pose and object is to defeat the will OF
the majority, which is the corner stone
upon which republican form OF gov
ernment is based. One of the com
monest instances Of gerrymanderiDg is
the appointment Of legislative districts,
and sometimes even the creation OF
new counties, with a view to securing
a majority of the Legislature to the
party which is in the minority in the
State on popular vote. The greatest
inducing cause to commit this crime
ag ainst popular sovereignty is the
selection of United States Senators,
It is well to remove the inducement.
1t is well, also, at this stage to call
attention 80 the point that the constr
tutional amendment which shall place
| the elnctin,n of Sanat1,rs with thn nannle