New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-15
A PLEA FOR PROPORTIONAL
REPRESENTATION
Such Provision in Constitution Would
Solve Problems.
[Garibaldi's Hymn
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In your issue Of May an article
appeared Gliding The Tribune for calling
upon the Constitutional Convention to free
this city from rural domination. The arti-
Gle was signed "A Member"
"a Member" fears that united delegation
to the Legislature of Tammany members
might dominate the rest of the state.
We will not discuss the reasonableness OF
depriving New York City Of its proper rep
resentation because of this fear OF Tammany
by a Member" but some people, considering
the conduct of the Legislature just adj
journed, might just as properly fear Repuoli-
can domination.
1t is fact, however, that there is a spirit
Of distrust by the upstate people against the
city and of the city against upstate which
must be recognized and dealt with.
This spirit is aggravated by political diher-
ences encouraged by politicians and further
aggravated by occasionally having solid
Democratic delegation from New York City
at Albany and practically solid Republican
delegation from upstate.
If we could change our system OF electlng
representatives to Albany so that each party
or group of citizens would have the proper
titled to according to its numbers we would
at the same time remove the fear Of "A Mem
ber" as to a solid delegation of Tammany
members from New York City and the fear
of other good people that the upstate repre-
sentatives would dominate and forever prey
on the city to upstate advantage.
This Just proportion of representation
would also remove a great deal OF the spirit
of distrust have mentioned by removing the
political element of it.
As an example of the unfarness Of our
present system of electing representatives,
we need only take the election Of State Sem
ators from this city in 1912. In round num-
bers the Democrats of the city cast in 1912
29S 900 votes; the vote of the other parties
was 3I2 500. Under our present system Tam
many elected all the twenty-five Senator's
from the city, although casting less than one
half the vote.
If fair proportional system Of repre-
sentation was used the following would be
the result:
Tammany. .............ll Senators
Republican,. ............ D
Progressive. ............
Socialist. ............... l
Under proportional representation the same
LdlI plOpOA NApi'"A ANiii'N4 - ANPA -
would be elected by the different groups or
parties from upstate.
An amendment to the constitution will be
presented TO the convention in a few days
permitting the Legislature to establish pro-
portonal representation.
As "A Member" asks for further advice
upon the subject | would advise him if he
wishes to prevent a solid Tammany delega-
ton or anything like it from this city to Al
bany and fair division of upstate legisla-
tors to Albany, thus doing justice to the
democratic ideals that we all believe in and
at the same time greatly lessening the dis
trust between the city and upstate, that he
do all he can to have this proposed amend
ment on proportional representation adopt
ed By the Constitutional Convention.
The adoption Of this amendment would also
do away with the occasion for putting into
the constitution the discrimination against
this city as to its representation and allow
the basis of representation to be population
alone, thus giving equal weight to each mans
vote, not, as now, making two upstate vote.
equal three city votes.
II "A Member" wishes any literature on
proportional representation he can obtair
the same by writing to the Proportional Rep.
resentation League, at the Park Avenue Ho.
tel. New York City. JNO. J. HOPPER.
New York, May 9, 1915.