Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-03-24
PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION.

Assembly bill No. 2s4. introduced by Assem-
5lyman Loori, of Hudson county, provides for
proportional representation in the legislature
from the two first-class counties of Essex and
Hudson Proportional representation always as
sures the minority of a voice in legislative at-
fairs. This is as 1t should be.
AT the present time If Essex county goes Re-
publican all twelve of the Republican candi-
.lates for the assembly in that county are cleo
ted II Hudson county goes Democratic, as it
usually does all of the eleven Democratic can
didates for the assembly in that county are
elected.
But suppose the vote is very close. as is often
the case. particularly in Essex. the minority al
though they nearly equal the majority, have no
representation at all. For example, say the Re-
publcan vote in Essex should be $4,000 and the
Democratic vote should be 10000. The Repub-
ucans having a majority of 10000, would be
declared the winners and all twelve of the Re-
publican assembly candidates would be declared
elected and they would go to the legislature to
represent Essex county, being the choice of S0,-
600 of the voters of that county out of a total
vote of 10000 Thus the 10000 who did not
favor these twelve men, would have no repre-
sentation at all even though they represented
nearly half of the electorate.
In Hudson county the conditions might be re-
yersed. the Democratic candidates being sent TO
the legislature year after year leaving the thou
sands of Republicans in that county without
any representation simply because they do not
happen to be in the majority. The fact that
Hudson is represented by Republican delega-
ton this year is generally recognized as politi-
cal fluke that is not likely happen again under
oF In
But under the Loori bill providing for proper
tionaI representation this would be changed
The representation in the legislature would be
In proportion to the vote cast by the respective
parties. In other words. it is estimated that
there are enough Republican votes in Hudson
.ounty to assure at least four Republican as
semblymen under normal conditions against
seven Democratic assemblymen should the Loori
bill become law. Thus the very large Repuo-
>1ican. vote in Hudson. although not enough to
carry the whole county, would have voice In
legislative affairs.
In Essex where the Republicans usually win
by more or less narrow margin, the large
Democratic vote would also be assured of rep
resentation.
AS far as the state at large is coqcerned the
party representation as whole would remain
practically the same, the Repuollcan gam III
Hudson being offset by similar Democratic
gain in Essex. Thus while the political complex
ion of the legislature would be but little altered
there would be far more justice to the large
minorties in both counties.
1t is understood that all the Hudson and some
of the Essex members of the present legislature
favor Mr.. Looris bill, Assembly No. 294. As
the bill affects only these two first-class coun-
ties and its purpose is to do justice to the
large electorate which is continually in the mi
nority in both counties and therefore without
voice in making the laws of the state under
our present system, there is every reason why
the representatives from other counties should
vote in favor OF the bill.
It is absolutely fair and reasonable that the
party representation in the legislature should
be in proportion TO the vote cast by that party.