New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1919-05-28

.PROGRESSIVES IN SENATE TO
cURTAEL THE POWER OF
LODGE AND NELSON.

President Wilson'S call for a special
session OF congreee to meet on Monday,
May 19, settles the speculation as to
when he would issue the summons.
With regard to what the new congress
will do, however, there is practically
no speculation at all. Special interest
politics are written all over it, and the
little group Of progressives there, includ-
ing the Nonpartisan League representa-
tives, will be able to do little more
than delay vicious legislation and to
make a record for clean congressional
activity.
Contrary to the usual state of af-
fairs the house is more thoroughly
reactionary than the senate. James
R. Mann Of Illinois failed to get the
speakership, but he has control of the
Republican caucus, and associated
with him in welding this power is
Joseph Cannon Of standpat fame.
Representative Gillett, who was elect
ed speaker largely because his public
sins were less obvious than Mann's
relations with the big packers, is sub
servient to this pair of leaders and all
they represent.
Among the various political reforms
advocated during the last decade by
democratically inclined leaders and
thinkers, and which are worthy of our
serious consideration, proportional repre-
sentation should be accorded a first place.
Strangely enough, we in this country
who claim to have the most democratic
government in the world have been very
apathetic in regard to this proposition.
It may be that the real reason for this
cool attitude has been found by those
who attribute it. to our self-sufficiency
OF long standing in these matters.
But proportional representation is OF
sufficient Importance to our future
political life that it we'll deserves more
than passing consideration. ]. Fischer
Williams, in 'The Reform Of Political
Representation gives clear expositions
for American readers, Of the system of
proportional representation as mean,
of securing really representative govern
ment. He points out that in the phrase,
'"The world safe for democracy" demo-
cracy really means representative govern
ment. He argues that, in truth, neither
British nor American governments have
been representative, because of their
failing to represent very large minori-
ties. AS result of this failure the
legislative bodies of these countries are
not mirrors of the popular mind and
lack stability.
In other countries this new system of
government met with
an altogether different spirit. Seeing the
underlying principle of justice to all
and the advantages connected with it
for the common good some of them
fastened to adopt it. Sim Fem, in the
recent municipal elections in Ireland,
could, it is said, have easily swept aside
all other parties. But, in one city at
least, Sligo, the leading party showed
its common sense by permitting the
minority to take part in the government
by means Of proportional government.
Further, this reform has been adopted
for the constituent assembly Of Germany
as we'll as for that of Poland, and the
lower house of New South Wales.
The fiction that the system is loo
difficult to apply here cannot be main
tanned. Besides the countries named,
Denmark, Switzerland and Holland ap-
ply the principle, AID the Czechoslovaks
have put it into their declaration of
independence. Viscount Bryce ap-
parently thinks it applicable in the
! United States, for he has consented to
become vice-president of the American
Proportional Representation League.
Not only political experts, however, but
also numbers Of American labor organi-
cations endorse it.. And trial will be
made shortly in Philadelphia where the
impending charter revision will pro
vide proportional representation on a
scale that will ensure an object lesson
/ for the rest of the country.