Show MINORITY T Y REPRESENTATION Si Since ce p political fr freedom edom and political equality p y so called were first established in A America America erica the right of the majority to rule has scarcely been questioned At the time of the birth of the Republic lic the people had become so thoroughly disgusted with the tyrant of the few that they did not take into consideration the probability that there should hould arise a tyranny of the many nor was it supposed by the founders of our liber liberties ies th that t through the ignorance and poverty of the masses an unscrupulous unscrupulous- minority could ever control the affairs of our nation So great has been the admiration of succeeding generations generations generations genera genera- for the grand and noble principles laid laid down down in the thc Declaration of Independence Independence Independence dence and the Constitution that by a great many they have been deemed adequate adequate adequate ade ade- quate to lo ser serve e as the basis of our political institutions for for all fill time But Bui as regards the question of the fair representation of f minorities in m our legislative legislative legislative legis legis- hans halls it is is' popular fallacy that our Constitution gives all into the hands of tl the thi majority noris 1 is there anything in inthe inthe inthe the Declaration of Independence that could ind induce that the framers of that instrument t. t designed that minorities should have hav no yoi voice e. e in the affairs of the nation SQ So o ev even n if vve ve we concede that the Constitution on should be immutable this this- question is still tin sin open one and while we agree with Herbert Spencer when he says that the government nt is that which will insure the greatest amount amount- of personal freedom to th the greatest number yet wd we- westill still must hold it an open question as to whether r the rule of the majority will always tend to bring bring- about this most desirable desirable desirable de de- end Aside ide from the from the fact that there is always in every every community an intelligent miny min min- rity y who do not care to push themselves A AI to the front in public matters there remains remains re- re mains the still more important consideration consideration tion that that under our our present system of majority rule only a minority is represented represented in our legislative halls To illustrate illustrate illustrate illus illus- Let that three- three us suppose only fifths of the electors are represented in a a certain legislature and say of the legislators control the character of O legislation then the majority in that legislature legislature legislature legis legis- lature which frames the laws represents a minority of the elect electors rs for x I ora or a which is less than one Hence it is seen that representation by primary majorities besides shutting out minorities which is unjust defeats its own ends by representing in in inthe the end only a minority Doubtless these conditions conditions- could so soon m be improved would vou intelligent men give them their attention As we h have said have e said aid up to the middle of the present ce century the Amer American can pe people had not seen een the necessity of the thorough study of election methods because it was believed believed be be- that the principles laid down by t their f fathers were so perfect as to admit of of- f. f no improvement nt In n England as also in the little Republic b li lie lic of Switzerland f th the s' s subjects of mi minority min min- representation has received a great c deal jal of profound st study and discussion sion In n the former country many any schemes have haye been e n formulated look looking ng to thi this end of of which the most reasonable seems seem to be e tl that at laid laid- down by Rob Robert rt Hare Hm e and r reviewed ie- ie viewed a and d som somewhat w elaborated by r the the eminent socio sociologist ogist and nd economist economist John Stuart M Mill i l. l w i iThe The subject is now receiving considerable considerable consider consider- ab able e attention from American thinkers notably among whom is W. W D. D McCracken McCracken Mc- Mc Cracken Grack n A. A M. M V We Ve e- e recommend his' his article in the February Arena l e h |