Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-02-28

zens and the generations who shall
come after them?
The fourth objection stated in MIR.
Monahan's "bill of particulars" is,
that it will defeat the will of the ma
jority and result in minority rule.
He presents in support of this unique
objection an exaggerated Illustration
of the supposed workings of the pro-
posed law. He supposes case where
four candidates enter the field for the
nomination, in an election precinct
having a voting population of 1905.
He supposes that three of them re-
ceive 800 votes each and the fourth
receives 305 votes and thereby be-
comes the nominee; and he exclaims
in holy horror, 1900 men have been
defeated by 305." Does Mr. Monahan
advance this fallacious nonsense as an
argument, and expect to have it taken
seriously? Is it possible that his own
Intelligence can be measured by such
fimsy nonsense or is he merely trying
to fool somebody" again? One thing
is certain, either he has greatly under
estimated the intelligence of this com
mittee, or his own ability has been sad
~ overestimated by his friends.
Suppose under the present system
that four candidates had been nomi
mated for the same Office. a suppose
ton very much more probable than
the one stated by himself, for such a
thing does very frequently occur in
actual experience. If three of these
candidates should receive 300 votes
each, and the fourth should receive
305 votes, the one receiving the plur.
ality would be elected. Does it re-
quire more votes to nominate, than it
does to elect? Majority rule means.
necessarily, plurality rule. 1t rarely
happens where there are more than
two candidates in the field for the
same office, that one receives a ma
jority Of all the votes cast. From the
president of the United States down to
the smallest and most insignificant
elective office, candidates are elected
upon plurality. Abraham Lincoln,
the Great Emancipation, was elected
president of the United States, upon
a plurality vote of the people. Again
taking his own statement of the objec.
ton, and that candidate who receives
the greatest number of votes, is clear,
Iy entitled to the nomination, as he
would be to the election, for the rea-
son that his plurality implies that ho
IS considered as the better candidate
and is regarded by his constituents as
being better qualified and is possessed
Of the confidence of the people over
his opponents, by just that percentage
indicated by his plurality. To chal-
lenge his right to the nomination uDOn
the very proposition stated by Mr..
Monahan, is to challenge the whole
system of representative government
ana the right of the people to govern
themselves by choosing their repre-
SentatlVes. Mr.. MOnahan stuItffes his
own Intelligence by asking to have this
proposition seriously considered. He
will rather choose to have it exposed
as a masquerade Of hypocrisy, clothed
IN HorId and meaningless rhetoric.
On the other hand examples might
be cited without number, to prove that
under the present caucus and conyen.
ton system, delegates are chosen. and
nominations are made by skillfuI and
Wanton manipulation of machine noli.
ties, OF individuals who upon a dfrec+
vote could not poll ten per cent. of
the votes in the election precinct. and
Ihese men who represent a minority
composed Of boodlers, ward heelers,
mugs and criminals, are forced upon
the people as the candidates of a M.
HIcal party, and are elected bv the
use OF the party whip, the people he.
ing compelled to either vote for those
so called regular nominees" or r.
abandon their party in discouragamont
ana disgust, only to be called "sore.
heads and ''populists" by the clio.
quent gentleman who makes this oh.
lection, and his distinguished asso,
ciates.
The fifth objection filed against the
bill is characterized by my eloquent
friend as Too ridiculous for serious
consideration" | quite agree with
him, except that in my judgment it
IS his objection which is entitled to
the metaphor.
lie objects to the bill on the ground
that 1T takes away from the people
the right to make the platform, and
confers it upon the candidates." Ac-
cordlng to his statement of the case
one hundred and twenty-five candi-
dates consisting Of the state officers.
the senate and assembly, would for
muiate the Declaration of
principles instead of "the
people l wish to reply to that
argument in the Yankee method. by
asking the gentleman a question.
Who do you honestly think would be
the better qualified to formulate a.
platform, one hundred and twenty
five candidates, already nominated by
4 popular vote of the people-selected
because of their superior qualifca-
uons-men entitled to the confidence
OF the people because of their
character and ability and fitness, or a
committee on resolutions composed
OF four or five individuals, selected by
the party boss, and appointed by a
convention chairman, also selected
and installed in the chair by the
party boss for that specific purpose.
without single vote from the people
or member Of the convention?
My friend will pardon me if illus
trate my argument by a reference
personal to himself. I attended the
state convention held in the spring of
1900 called for the purpose of electing
state delegates to the republican
national convention at Philadelphia.