The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-18
REPRESENTATION.
Lecture In Friendship ST. Synagogue
by S. A. Sherman.
Interesting discussion of the Existing
System Of Representation.

Nltn IL man pOSSoSSlHP bnOfOugn
knowledge of the subject in hand, and IA
good sized and thoroughly interested audi
ence, the meeting at the Friendship street
synagogue last evening could not have
been otherwise than profitable to all who
were present. The subject of the evening
WAS the present topic of popular represent
tation and the speaker, Mr. Sidney A.
Sherman, well known in this city, the
instructor in civics and economies at the
Providence high school.
Mr.. Sherman in beginning his address
narrated briefly how the transition came
about from the original purely Demo-
cratic form OF governm ent 10 the more
modern representative idea.
After discussing this change and the
causes leading up TO IL, ending 10y das-
cribing briefly what representative popu-
lar representation is, his remarks were
as follows
Under the present district system any
party in any degree smaller than me
majority Is entirely unrepresented
Under this system the votes Of one-third
of the people Of our land are absolutely
wasted The party which chances 10 be in
the majority Is thus enabled To assume
absolute control of affairs, bills may be
rairoaded though the Senate ana house
without discussion In full. The minority,
although strong in power and numbers,
have no representationiwhat
Another method Is the election at large
method. In Massachusetts, by way of e>.-
ample, thirteen men are nominated on the
Republican ticket and voted for In "a
body. The majority, whether Republican
or Democrat will elect their full ticker of
thirteen men, while as before no matter
how close the election returns may have
been the great minority Is entirely with
out their just representation.
In our own city the mnoritysis entirely
unrepresonted by both these methods.
But you may Nsk, are we not governed
by maiorityy Then, if SO, why these
objections To tho district SYSTEM My
answer is this: When one man only is
the cand idate for election rs in the case Of
"a mayor, certainly the majority Is the true
voice of the people and Despeaks correctly
and fairly the popular demand. But in
the election of Legislature or bodies COM
posed of many men, what just reason is
there why the minority ought not 10 be
representedY
Sir John Lobbock says that the Legisla.
ture ought To bo an exact mirror of the
nation, rejecting their every desire and
aspiration. Again James Wilson in 1857
said that the representative body ought 20
he a perfect transcript OF the popular
mind. Our Legislature should be an exact
reflection of ourselves. In order TO enjoy
this state of things it Is an absolute neces.
sity that our mighty minorities have just
representation.
n Now, are the minorities represented? A
single illustration Will suffice, for figures
are intensely practical. In the congress
sional election of lSss1, there were cast ), 900
900 Republican votes; $500, 0C0 Demo
cratic votes; 100 600 Peoples Party votes
and 2S0 900 for the Prohibitionists. Now,
IL perfect representation had followed the
election there would have been 100 Re-
publicans. elected, l69 Democrats, 30 Poo
pies Party and Prohibitionsts, but as
an actual result there were l3l Republic
cans, 2l3 Democrats, IL Peoples Party
aud not single Prohibltionist
Why was thisg Because there was not
n sufficient number of Prohibition votes
I'm any one ward or district 10 elect ono
man. This Is frequent happening in
"ur own Legislature, and thus, in very
tr Ith, we are ruled and governed by a
| minority
As a result, what is the feeling among
| the weaker partiesY Can IL be other than
the most abicct discouragementY They
20 Co tho polls year after year and have
tho almost certain knowledge that their
vote H. lost as they cast it. Naturally the
people losc their interest I'm party prob
lens and much good Is never accom-
| plishcd that under different system
| might have been donc
\ representative party Is not simply 10
| cast votes IL has two distinct func-
tions: First, To discuss, and, second, 20
vote. We at present scarcely give the first
clause proper consideration. Truly I'm our
| Legislatures debate has but little weight,
| and the power OF orntOry has steadily do.
! cllned. The logical method IL certainly
tn listen To- argument and from the argti-
m0nts presented to draw conclusions bat
! the human mind Is not logical. IL will
take centuries to make the mind logical.
| At The proscnt day zach man has gcncr-
ally deC ided before the discussion how his
vote shall IN cast. And yet this discussion
has its own proper value which Is now
much under estimated. IL all membors
are of the same mind, bills are hurried
! through the Legislatures and the effect is
only too evident An exact reprcsenta.
I ON ut the bldy IOlitiC j. necessary 60 se.
cure ciiiciont ard thoughtful legislation.
Again the District system has another
objection. I'm oiGvn tines all of mans