The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1896-02-20
IN accordance with the just rights Of all

1gr.c1 against this proposed reform as
t. Ir..ioral cr state politics, il would he
obviously productive If unInlIed good
III al municipal elections
one great and growing evil Of our
system e municipal government IS the
Iugcisic = ~ national issues; the same
political lines are drawn il municipal
elections - those which divide parties
elsewhere; men are elected to the city
council simply because they are or are
not Democrats, arc q are not Republic
ans, a1d it VIII he impossible to pre-
vant this. 50 strong is the force Of party
usage, until the electoral system is radl-
caIIy changed; then, and only then,
business administration Will take the
place # political administration IN mu-
nicipal affairs.
In applying the remedy proposed for
the evils thus briefly outlined three
measures have been sugeested-the
Cumulative vote, the "single tr.li5-
ferablo vote" ard the free list sys
tom F." The first is now in practical erar-
alton in iLe state If Illinois, IN c',cDs-
ing members cf the lower LCvo - Tic
lcgislatUre tho second las se." II
years been used il Darcu"rE, tho tlird
Is III successful or.r.' 1,i ..s.>lt
/ Switzerland; it Is III American iuEen
ton, having been alrCaatG4 - Ihon.&5
Gilpin q Philadelphia more taan ~
years ago, ana i Is believed T. DC bet
ter adapted than any other to tie needs
Of al American community.
Under its practical workings district
/ lines are abolished, and members of the
representative body are chosen at largo
upoD a general ticket The official bal
/ lot is used IL the same manner as IL
states where the Australian system pro
/ walls each group Of electors is required
/ to file with the proper officer, previous
/ to tic day OF election, list Of it's can
i didates; this list may contain the
! names Of as many candidates as the
4 community is entitled to elect or any
number less than that For example, if
! 10 counciliMcn are to be chosen, each
Tcrtv May nominate rs or any smaller
number. i'll the same candidate isnamed
or more than one ticket, he must elect
1 between item, and if he fails to do so
the choice is made for him BY lot. Each
1 elcctor has as many votes Gs there are
officials to be chosen. These he may
distribute as he pleases among candi
dates on the official ballot, giving 10
candidate more than one. In the case
supposed be would have Is votes ard
Toald placo his stamp opposite the name
Of cach 35ersen whom he designed to sap
port In addition the voter may, if he
s. desires, designate one Of the parties
for which he desires 70 vote, IL which
event be can only vote for the candi-
dates OF that party.
On Ito ether baud, the voter who
does not care to support party ticket
! may distribute his votes TO suit himself
II canyassing the returns all votes are
added together, the sua total is divided
by the number Of offices 10 Bottled, and
the QuotieHt is termed the quota OF
representation, or number OF voters
who are Jointly entitled to one repre-
sentative. Zach party is then entitled to
as many officials IS ii has quotas.
Among candidates those who receive the
i greatest number Of votes are seated, and
il vacancies Occur, whether from death
OF otherwise, the candidate of the same
party having the next highest vote is
substituted. This plan has been success
fully tested by practical experience in
Switzerland and has been gradually eN-
tended from one canton to another year
after year. III conclusion, the free list
system IS Al American device, but has
been adopted and demonstrated III a re
public whose government is worthy Of
imitation. It is a plan which elimi-
mates and oNtincuishes the gcrrynlancer.
j removes al incentive to vote buying.
Il Ieduces the unrepresented minority
the grand army cf the Gisfranchisei-to
TIE least possible minimum. It gives to
each yotet tie fullest liberty CT choice.
It recognizes party affiliations and lines,
yet permits tie utmost freedom Of all
who wish 70 be independent CT partisan
2ic52;ion. And, better than all else, it
contcHp1@tes and provides for a repre-
sentative body that viii be like an i'm
age III the camera, every color, form,
light motion, shade being exactly re-
prodnce6l--a body that is representative
III fact as well as i'll name. II we have
any faith III popular government, any
faith III tie political Integrity of oar
people, let rs give this plan a fair trial
| IL the near future
WILLIAM DUDLEY TOULKE.
Richmond