New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-11-09
CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES NrEnrn
A CORRESPONDENT WHO FINDS UNFAIR Powr,
GIVEN TO THE MINORITY.

CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES NEEDED
A CORRESPONDENT WHO FINDS UNFAIR Powr,
GIVEN TO THE MINORITY
To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: The recent peril through which we bsv.
passed great to endanger the existence OF m.
Republic. has impressed upon US as never before
the conviction that there must be something rad.
ically wrong in the form we'll as the administrs
ton OF government to render possible so baseles.
and causeless rebellion.
The social upheavals OF history, the inchoats or
successful revolutions, were caused by some Rross
injustice or material suffering and privation. thu
deprivation Of civil religious rights inordinats
taxation. most frequent of all causes the lack
OF food supplies. This recent attempt at revou.
tion had none OF these causes to Justify It. The
only complaint was Of an excess Of food supplies
while the most unprincpled citizen in the centre Of
rebellion enjoyed liberty more power and
greater share In the Government than the most In.
dustrious and conscientious citizen OF New-York
or Pennsylvania
Several grave evils have been impressed upon ~
OF recent years, and brought most wildly home IA
us by this election
First. that the Senatorial representation in Con-
gress is grossly unfair and unrepublican; that II
distorts and thwarts the will Of the people. and
gives totally idea OF the Nation to for
egners. To say that the system is In accordance
In the spirit. The Constitution series OF com.
promises. That Delaware and Rhode Island should
vana and Massachusetts did not unbalance The
scheme OF government and II In sense unjust In
an ideal democracy. did not. owing to the homo
geneity OF the inhabitants cause any injury or mis-.
represent the will OF the people
States as are the Western mining camps There ia
no homogeney. no stable Industry III except
miningl little accumulated wealth and less educa.
ton. They have as little In common with the older
States or the newer Industrial Western States a
Alaska
Second. and In correlation to this gross inequality
OF representation, is the unfarness Of the electoral
vote as indicative OF the popular will!
York and Pennsylvania Of M5.5oo each are ,s Of no
more value In the count than plurality Of two
States are therefore. practically DISTINGUISHED We
the electoral votes OF Tennessee Texas. etc,
cast for Bryan. with majority OF few hundreds
or thousands. while the enormous popular plurality
Of 10000 for honesty and principle Is not fairly re-
Third. the immense and pernicious power which
such machines those created by Altgeld in ILL.,
nois. and Tammany. In NewYork. give for the pur.
pose OF prostiuting the popular will to selfish and
degraded ends. which rendered possible this giant
conspiracy against law and order and honesty; and
last the tendency OF such Senatorial representation
and such machines to raise INSCRIPTIONS dema.
gogues to positions OF vast power and influence
And these considerations accept the principle OF
manhood suffrage. allowing to the adventurer Of
wyoming the same share in the Government the
philanthropist OF New-York. and only Directing
account the broader considerations Of education.
Industry property. etc. the preponderance In favor
of the Eastern Middle Western and Northwestern
States would be enormous.
Without advocating impracticable Ideas for an
ideal republic impossible Utopia, can at
least take to heart the lessons We have received,
and In possession with our sound-money allies OF
the legislative well Executive power. effect
such necessary notifications as will restore the
proper equilibrium OF government-make the Re-
public one I'm fact. and not In theory.
1t Is a stupcndous task. but on its successful ac-
complishment depends our continued existence as Q
nation. w. NJ. u.
New-York, Nov 8. 1896