The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-10
The Proposed Electoral Reforms in
England.

Tho London Times lately published let
ter on the alleged urgent necessity of such
q change in the distribution of seats in the
House OF Commons ms should make rep
rcsentation proportonate to population.
Since then the Spectator and other English
newspapers have discussed the subject, and
those which support the Salisbury Gov
eminent insist that the reform should be
carried out by the present Parliament.
The journals, on tho other hand, which
represent Liberal and Radical opinions,
while for the most part conceding tho
Justice OF readjustment in the direction
mentioned, declare it to he even moro
important that plural voting shall be abol-
ished and that the Parliamentary fran
chisc shall be given to every adult malc
not disqualified for crime. There are at
the same time many Irishmen who main
tain that the number of seats conceded to
Ireland by the act of Union is an irreduci-
Bile minimum and cannot be cut down with
but n national breach Of faith.
Let us sayat once that so far as American
brcccdcnts go, u distribution OF seats in
proportion to population may coexist with
more or less marked differences in the con-
ditions under which the suffrage is exer-
csed in different localities. Our Federal
Constitution provided that the number Of
seats in the House Of Representatives
awarded to u particular State should bo
determined by adding to the whole num-
Der Of free persons therein, including those
bound to service for n term OF years, and
excluding Indians not taxed, three-lfths Of
all other persons. 1t was, however, at tho
4
Inhabitants competent to vote for members
OF the House Of Representatives should be
those possessed Of the qualifications made
requisite by the State law for electors OF
the mostnumerous branch OF the State Leg
islature. The latter provision rendered
possible wide variations in the conditions
OF the franchise and, as a matter OF fact,
up to the third decade of this century prop
erty qualifications were required in a ma
jorty Of our States.
Even now, there are material differences
In tho conditions prescribed in the State OF
New York on the one hand and in the States
of Massachusetts and Rhode Island on the
other, to say nothing OF the States OF
Mississippi, Alabama and South Carolina,
where attempts have been made by amend
ments Of the State Constitution to evade
the Fifteenth Amendment Of our Federal
organic law. 1t follows that IL examples
drawn from American political history
are to be relied upon, there is more war
rant for the "one vote one value" prin-
clple propounded In England by the Con-
servatives than there is for the lone man
one vote" demand put forward by the Lib
erals and Radicals. 1t Is certain, however,
&Lot ho %
OF American institutions Is to give the full
franchise to every adult male. and this is
true OF the Southern no less than OF the
Northern States as regards the white ele-
ment Of the population.
So much for the argument based upon
American precedents. Now let us look at
the facts presented In the United Kingdom.
Tho present House Of Commons consists Of
$40 members, which arc thus divided:
England, which, according to the census OF
1891, had 27,499, 9s4 inhabitants, has 461
members; Wales. which had / sol ,O34 in
habitants, has "a members; Scotland, which
had 4,033, 103 inhabitants. has ~ mem
bers, while Ireland, which had at the
date named 4,7O6.44s inhabitants, has
1913 members. II the proportion OF rep
resentation to population 10 to be oh
served strictly, England has at present
30 members too few; Wales too many,
Scotland too many, and Ireland 20 too
many. 1t is plain, however, that an exact
apportionment OF seats to population is i'm
practicable, for some constituencies will in
evitably contain more inhabitants than the
minimum number prescribed. Even if con-
etituencies could be made precisely equal