The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-06-19
Letters to the Editor.
The Rule of Minority in Montgom-
 ery Co,antv

The Rule of a Minority in Montgom-
 cry County.
 Editor The Advertiser;
 have noticed the discussions In your paper about the mode of selecting candi- dates for office and the distribution of As this Is subject in which all are in- views
 All that Is valuable in human achieve ment Is the result of discussion and par TSs n the science or snd improvement in the future alike depend upon free discussion. Without it abuses creep in. and, not noticed at first. soon become intrenehed In their position and hold up their heads as the very bulwarks of Iiberty-and are eradicated with diff fculty. We have 1t exemplified in the point under discussion. The American Revolution was based on the abstraction necessary concomitants for state of rational liberty. The principle only was involved, for the taxation was nominal: but It was easily seen where It would saa ss % nS thus E, e.. # .ss s oaset
 We have in this County similar, 1T not the exact question of 1776. Certain beats having for temporary causes. been allowed greater voice in the councils Of the party than their relative proportion of electors entitled them to. now claim and insist that they have right to what was accorded as privilege for the time being
 Let us state the point abstractly so that everyone can understand and appreciate 1t by placing himself in the opposite posi- tions: Mir A of Beat X, insists that he Is of two. three or ten times the import arice of MT. B. of Beat Y. and therefore may, in the selection of candidates to represent the policy of the State. vote ten times. while his neighbor across the branch. who may be at least his equal in every human quality votes once and who thus in the result counts for naught. since he is outvoted two. three. four or forty to one.
 Very few will perhaps admit that I state the question properly-out who Is And we have early learned that it is a very proper way to reason back from re- suits to discover the principle involved And when 1t is once laid bare. 1t must be defended. if at all, in all its nakedness and. If SO 1t be, in its deformity.
 It is useless. in these short discussions. to go into the history of error. We all know the occasion of this departure from the maxims of democratic usage, and. l may say. of AnSlo-Saxon liberty. The question Is. where and what Is the deed or chart that makes residence In the marshes of Old Elam of more importance politically than in West End or the su- burb of vesuvius.
 
 fairness, all must admit. We could not live socially without 1t. It is the com mon law of the country. and the common right Of the humblest citizen. With us, the responsibility of the government and therein of our social existence, rests upon the shoulders of the people, who. in turn are represented by the qualified electors of each political division of the country. ''equal rights to all." as the distinctive feature of American liberty, lis as much a duty to self as to others" For. lit- tie reflection will teach everyone that the sting of wrong when practiced or fn- fiicted is moral deterioration.
 Appealing to this rule and sentiment. we ask. what Is the distinctive mark pr privilege that has utterly dethroncd this maxim and enables minority or eiec- tors to rule the majority? And, what Is perhaps worse, claim the right to do SC?
 We know and appreciate the dangers of majority rule-but, would you substi- tute minority rule in it's place! what dangers of the first are there that are not intensified in the latter? And when It comes to buying apd selling. how much easier is it to manage the latter. No no. we must adhere to the rule of the majority of qualified electors. You when it comes to counting. the majority
 must have a voice. and 1t must be heed- cd, The willingness to concede such right marks the degree of refinement in community. as the withholding of the | privilege indicates obtuseness to the sense of justice. By this rule, many counties in the State are ahead of Montgomery I am informed that long ago in Dallas County its Executive Committee submit ted to the qualified electors the question | now agitating us. If the Executive Com. mittee of Dallas and other counties could | and did submit the question of primary or convention to the voters. how is II hat | The answer must be that the retention oi power, indefensible on principle, seeks | shelter In formulsm. The history of our new Constitution shows that this phar' isaical virtue is not too deep seated with those having any disposition to dc | right to prevent ua from following the l wise lead of Dallas. where harmony pre- vails under the rule of equal rights Sc all" If a primary can be invoked in one case, as in the Brewer Thompson con test. why can it not be resorted to ir every case?
 Perhaps some will say, Killough's beat | Is a political division of the County and like Rhode Island in the Senate. is enti | tied to representation out of all propor' | ton to territory. population or wealth | Is this true. Is the first question, and. fl l it is true. are the beats willing to tak' | the legitimate consequences? Why does not each beat keep up its own bridges | have it's own jail poor house. intirmary sheriff and courts. judges and coroners | What right has killough's beat to more | than its relative value in electors. ir | the selection of County or State officers and thus in putting taxes and other bur dens and duties upon the rest of th' County and State? The truth Is tha | heats are but territorial subdivisions o one body tthe County) for convenience O. adminlstratiou-the County is the politi cal unit and not the beats.
 Messrs Editors. in conclusion, I desire | to remark that this discussion, as to thu equal rights of electors, show how uni | form human nature Is, and how history | repeats itself. English history disclose: | that this new right. claimed and denied | is the same as the system of rotten bor oughs under which old Sarum, without , | house in the borough, had equal ol l greater representation in parliament char | cities of 100 0O0 inhabitants. And it show 1 likewise that advocates were not want | ing as now, to justify the enormity- 1 that is. that the privileged class, like tht cormorant, yields its prey but by thu | throttle to its neck. The same histor, shows that in 1892. the people would have revolutionized the government if rctor
 nation had not been granted. Is it t' | he supposed, by rational. and just men | that the people of this county will sub
 init to be dominated. except by rules O justice and fairness? l submit then | that we are entitlRaEANUxa straight pri
 mary. in all matteEsN0f County admins tration. w. A. durter'