The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-12-31
TO ELECT BY QUOTA
Charter Revisers Discuss Il
Proportional System.
A DEMOCRAT CONVERTED TO II
Library Commission to BE Abolishe
Closing OF saloons at Night
and on Sundays.

The question Of proportional represent
ton was the main one up for aisc1SsioE
before the charter commission YESTERDAY
Stein and Joslin were the champions
the proposed innovation. and they wer
closely questioned by Preston, Trempe&
Andrews and Hamlin. They were bot
asked Il they thought the people would a.
cert the revised charter with such przE
vision included. and both were firm in II
belief that when the people understood
the plan they would support II. Winsot
raised the question as to possible conflic&
with the election laws. and the matter va
referred 20 the committee on powers 70
Investigation. The library committee rel
ported a plan for the management OF thu
public library, by a librarian 70 be aph
pointed by the mayor with the consent o T.
the council. and a library committee ot
five The report was adopted and referred
10 committee for bill
The licensing and regulating Of saloons
came up on the resolution presented by T
the Anti-Saloon League, and the proposed
amendment for Sunday closing and tbs
closing OF saloons between the hours OF Il
D. m. and a. m. was voted down.
Proportional Representation.
The majority report, signed by Stein and(
Joslin, on proportional representation ial
the election OF members Of the city coun-,
ell, saws the committee favors the adop-|
TEN or proportional representation. The
committee was impressed with its Justice
and its good policy, and thought a clear
understanding of il would convince the,
commission Of the wisdom OF ENGRAVING
the principle Of proportional representation
upon the charter now building. An out
line OF the system is given, as follows:
Each party would have some representa-
tive in the council, if its vote reached
quota, which quota is ascertained as fol-
lows: The total number Of votes cast at
an election for councilmen, divided by the
number of councilmen to be elected, Will
give the quota, or the number of votes re-
quired to elect one councilman. To ascer-
tain the number Of councilmen each party
is entitled TO, divide the number OF votes
cast by that party by this quota In case
OF fractional quotas, the largest fractional
quota will count as a full quota and elect
one representative, II otherwise the fun
number OF councilmen may not have been
chosen.
The report says: This method Of elect
ing councilmen viii, OF course. do away
with ward elections. making all council
men elected at large. This change has not
seemed 10 your committee to argue strong
~ against the change the new method In
augurates. Proportional representation VIII
give each and every party which is strong
enough TO poll quota Of votes voice in
voice, OF course until they have won over
TO their side a safe majority Of the people.
but vet a vote in municipal affairs. IL viii
also tend we believe. to stability in pub
lie affairs. Public feeling eliminating in
an election is not liable TO carry with Il.
under the Safeguarding Of the rights or
minority, as here proposed, the complete
overthrow Of city affairs, but rather tend
TO preserve In the councils q voice TO call
a halt on extravagance OF action that a
unanimous body would be prone TO in
dulge."
How the system Would Work.
Stein made a speech supporting the plan.
AS an illustration OF 1t, he supposed that
the total vote cast for all the candidates is
1900. The quota in that case would be
1.Oeo. and the Republican party. II II had
cast 5000 votes, would have six council
men; the Democrats having 1000 votes,
would have four councilmen, and the Pop
ulists, having 5000 votes, would have three
councilnen. Each party would have as
many votes in the city council as It has
quotas. ascertained by their total vote.
Hamlin presented a minority report op-
posing the scheme, and judging from the
remarks made by other members his opin-
ions were shared by a good many Of the
commissioners.
Andrews did not feel like assuming the
responsibility Of including the proportional
representation provision IN tne CIAFler as
revised, and perhaps thereby endangering
the adoption Of the entire charter. lie
moved that it be submitted TO the people
as a separate article.
Joslfn "a New Convert.
Joslin said that there was no member cf
the commission more timid than himself
in regard 10 taking up pet theories and I'M
tried experiments. but he had studied this
matter thoroughly ana had become entirely
convinced that proportional representation
was Just and right. Preston asked him IL
his reading had been on both sides OF the
question, or Just in favor OF il. Joslin ad-
mitted that his reading had been only on
the favorable side.
Winsor was opposed 10 plurality govern
rnent. as at present. He did believe in ma
tority government. and proportional repre-
seritation would result In a majority gov
ernment He believed that proportional