Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-08-23
EVERYONE HAS A CHANCE.

~ 5&5l AC - iOpOEAOtdi$ REPRESENTATION league sup
SSries interesting information Of the operation Of
proportional representation in the recent par1ia-
narnentary elections in Ulster, where this system was
Sapplied. The purpose of the plan is to enable each
TTggrotp OF considerable size to secure representation
In the Legislative or other body proportioned to its
SInunerical strength, something which is impossible
nsunder the method commonly used in elections in
#ssthis eountry, and, until quite recently, in most 9TH
Gers. The results in Ulster indicate the complete
HHstccess of the plan, in. that province.
& For election purposes Ulster is divided into
item districts, each being entitled to from four to
weight representatives, according to population.
a;Candidates Of three parties, Unionists, Nationalist
land Sim Feiners, were in the field. In FIVE Of the
districts members of all three parties were chosen.
Gin one other district candidates Of two parties were
vsuccessftl. Ii. the remaining four districts only
.a.Ulnionists were elected, the opposition in these
flour cases polling less than one-ffth Of the total
9 There were elected 40 Unionists, 6 Nationa1ists
Nand s Sim Feiners. This corresponds very closely
with the numerical strength of the several parties.
Sln other words, each group obtains representation
substantially in proportion to it's voting strength.
Finder the plan of .electing singleSrepresentatives BY
a majority vote the minority may be, and' often is,
deprived Of all representation although it may be
nearly equal in numbers to the majority. There
are many cases in which, through the peculiar
grouping of parties in districts, the party which IS
largely in the majority in the state or other dis
ftrict elects only a minority of the representatives
& to the governing body.
The machinery of,proportional representation
involves q system of preferential voting, first, sec
6ond and third choice, and SO on. The individuals
second choice vote is not coh1ted SO long as there
us a possibility Of his first choice vote being effec-
tive When that possibility disappears his first
choice vote is cancelled and his 1fext choice in order
lis considered. The scheme appears more 5comph-
Gated on paper than it is in practice. Whatever
+ &complications there are concern the counters rather
than the voters. For the voter the plan is simple
| #ty itself. If Smith is his favorite candidate he
gives Smith his first choice vote. Then he indi-
Gates his preferences in regular order, and he is
! done. The ease with which voters a~ecuston1 them
selves 10 the plan is indicated by the fact that in
| the entire Ulster election the ballots spoiled in any
Nrnanner were only 1.01 per cent of the total. There
Sare few elections under the older and more familiar
Hplan in which there is not more than one spoiled
+ ballot in a hundred.
Proportional representation is already in OPP
sgeration with apparent satisfactory results in several
kAmer1ca1 cities, Sacramento being the largest. It
worked out well in a recent Winnipeg election, and
ut has been endorsed by many eminent students of
political methods, regardless Of party affiliations.
The subject is one which merits study in North
Dakota.
THE POsToFFIcE AND THE NEWSPAPER
Postmaster General Hays explanation of his
attitude on the admission of newspapers to mail
ing privileges is so eminently reasonable that it
must appeal3to impartial persons. Under the for.
ssmer administration the postmaster general under
took to discriminate as to certain newspapers and
sas to certain privileges which should be extended
10 them. He took it upon himself to exclude from
second class mailing privileges newspapers which
ne held to be improperly conducted but to admit
go general postal privileges these same newspapers
Notwithstanding their delinquincies. In restoring
EA second class privileges to one of these papers, Mr..
Hays has outlined his policy and has stated the
81 saasons therefor.
In bTief, the position Of the postmaster general
&49sthat he is not a newspaper censor, and he does not
I intend to have that function thrust upon him.. He
"a ESlas the law TO guide him and the law says what
~ az E1nnA. orA Hrrha e1ah I~Ak sM -
S.EEiQnary powers are granted to the. postmaster gen
g1yTsral and these he proposes to exercise IN accordance
Nth the spiritsof the law. He intends to permit
81 Al newspapers to be mailed at second class rates
ssxhich are technically entitled thereto BY reason Oh
heir general character, circulation, etc, and which
ao not SO violate the law as to exclude them from
he p~ostoffice altogether. He points out that thu
eeo1irlission of certain ofenses by a newspaper de
asSasrs IL from the mails. That Jaw he proposes tc
kxecnte,sa and offending papers will be debarred MOI
rom second class rates merely, but from mailing
privileges altogether. He takes the very sane posi-
III apnS that 50 long as newspaper IS entitled to u
"a Hxyied by the government iii IS entitled 10 carriage
II az rate prescribed for newspapers. il ii diff
8#EsnttatO see how any other conclusion could III
Observation-Disclosures 1t was reached by Postrnas
xGenerxl Burleson, who added ii his other dptie.
iii H3sk ofS defining rateS which various newspaper.
e % pzy tor their deliverys The new ruling 4
1ccoTd1nGxxWith common sense and 1T. seems I'll
#s8 81 sseordznce With ~ and isZ to 81 commended
RosTTIyEE EVIDENCE
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