The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1904-10-27
ELECT BY PLURALITY.

1t is proposed that town Representa-
tives be elected by plurality instead
of majority of the votes cast. Sew
eral bills embodying the plurality
principle are before the Legislature,
some of which provide for election by
plurality on the first ballot, some on a
subsequent ballot. This is not the
| first time au attempt has been made to
secure the enactment of law provid-
ing for plurality election for Repre-
sentatves Earnest efforts have been
made before along that line, but they
have heretofore been unavailing. This
year there appears, however, to be a
more general desire than ever be-
fore to see the change made.
There is an Unborn love in all YER
monters for the rule of the majority.
There is also conservatism. which
opposes all change until it il fully
demonstrated to be wise or necessary.
But the time seems to o at hand W hen
Vermonters must recognize the fact
that the majority rule, IN 80 many in
stances, is no longer practicable for the
election of Representatives,, and change
is advisable. 1t is only practicable to
elect any officers by majority when
ballots can be taken with rsasonabl
degree of ease and when a fairly rep
resentative vote can be obtained. For
c IN 10 tu 10 afor
able, for there is no trouble in taking
the subsequent ballots if no choice be
made on the first. aud thus the senti-
ment of the meeting can be best
learned but as the size of the meeting
increases the disadvantages of major
ity rule become apparent and increase
until they outweigh its merits.
Election by majority is too cumber-
some for use in the September elee-
tions. 1t is practically impossible to
get a fairly representative vote in q
city or large town after the first or
second ballot. The older voters, those
who are naturally the more conserya-
tive, generally leave for home early,
and it is difficult indeed to get them
out &c vote again. Sometimes they
will wait for the first count to be
made and if there be no choice they
will vote the second time and then
leave, but seldom will they vote again.
1t takes great deal of time to ballot
in large meeting. In Montpelier,
for example, at the election of 1902
three ballots were required to choose a
Representative when the result of
the final ballot was declared it was
long past midnight; and on the ballot
which declded the election the whole
number of votes cast was not so very
much greater than the leading candi-
date had IN the first ballot. The old
men, the infirm. the invalid, had gone
home, and SO had great number of
business men and workingmen whose
occupations require them to be up
early in the morning. Every bum
and loafer in the city was on hand,
however, for there was nothing in par
ticular to call them to bed. Regard
less Of party or candidates, it cannot
be denied that in Montpelier 1t istnot
the best element among the voters that
stays most willingly for night cleo
tion contest. 1t is 30 IN other places.
Senators are elected by plurality,
and 80 are the other county officers.
Why is it any more against the prin-
ciples of Vermont freemen to elect
Representatives by plurality than TO
so choose other officers? In four cases
out Of five the person who has plur.
ality OH the first ballot has also ma