The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-11-25
SOME EIECTIoN LAWS.


1t would-be difficult to make an Ameri-
can believe that arlthe science of govern
ment the United States is an old fogy, a
hundred years behind, the times, yet that
| is exactly what native of little Belgium
would tell u.s. On first sight such an as
sertion seems absurd to US, because we
are accustomed to think of our country as
leading all the world in just about every
thing there is; yet the fact remains that
our forefathers esta bIished.~ this govern
ment at time when the representative
system was still rather a novelty, and
while they undoubtedly did their best,
and, perhaps, even .sbuAasdt better than
they knew" ys Wien much later
date Representa- System was in
troduced into most, Of the. European
countries, there had aeeamulated fund
of experience and Observation for those
innovators to- draw from and profit by,
and attempt various improvements over
the American system
In the meantime we have acquired a
sort of blind veneration for the
letter rather than for the. spirit.
for the outward form, -rather than for
the inward essence of the institutions
transmitted to us by our forefathers,
and consequently there is very little pros
pect of our Fronting in this matter by
our own experience or by the example
of other nations.
OF all the countries having a repre-
sentative form ofssgovernment, little Bel
GUM would prdbabay lay claim to pos
sessing it in its most perfect form, and
it certainly wouldasstand an excellent
show of proving its claim
The main point on which the. Belgian
would claim SUI eriority over our system
would be.rin the 1r4portfonal represent
alton established iasshis country. Under
this system Representatives, are not elect
ed by majorities, bat each. party elects
certain number then,. in direct pro-
portion to the actual number of votes it
receives at the polls.
Thus, in state entitled to seven rep
resentatives in congress, and casting $780,
OOO votes, each party would be entitled
to one representative for every $4,000
votes received. If the Republican ticket
received 100000 votes it would be enti-
tied to four representatives; the Demo-
Gratis, receiving 100000 votes, would get
two Representatives. and the Populists,
casting $1,000 votes 1e,1lds be entitled to
one =S
Each party would, nominate ar full num-
Der of candidates and a man could either
vote the ticket straight, designating the
candidates in. the order of his choice,
or he could vote "a split ticket OF each
party, those candidates Receiving the
greatest number of votes and standing
highest in the choice of the voters would
be. elected and each party would receive
such a number of representatives as the
total of votes it polled would entitle it
to receive.
Such are the rough outlines of the sys-
TEN of proportional representation. This
system has d SI6ebe 4fAd41J e1AiN dIlCdSGSs II
gives to every party-just that amount Of
representation which it deserves. 1t
would. secures just representation in
congress for the. republicans IN Texas
as well as for AesD democrats in Mime
sofa. 1t wodfd Enable the smaller
parties, like the prohibition party and
tho .abor 1,a4lYsS. ssilicTz are now 1bopa-
lessly submerged, to make themselves
heard in the council of the nation. It
would secure for Cd congress the best
and ablest men of 1aIl parties. AT pres
ent many very mediocre man, through
corrupt practices OF. machine politics. Sc
cures the congressional nomination and
wins out merely because of the over
whelming strength of his party In that
particular district. Under the proport on
al system some poorly qualified candi-
dates might succeed in getting on the
ticket, but the final choice Fests with, the