1890-91.] NOTE ON ELECTORAL REPRESENTATION. '62T 



their votes 91 seats would have been changed from opposite party sides.* 

 Similar illustrations of the great uncertainty, and the condition of un- 

 stable political equilibrium which results from the system of election by 

 majorities are common among ourselves, establishing how disturbing and 

 unsatisfactory the system proves. We should aim to substitute for these 

 constantly recurring violent changes a means of securing continuity of 

 government by a more natural process. By the annual change of a 

 proportion of the members as proposed, we would obtain a settled 

 government, which would mould itself to the varying needs of the 

 people ; we would, in fact, substitute government by regular evolution 

 for government by party revolution. 



One of the strong arguments advanced by the advocates of party 

 government is that by means of the party organizations an interest is 

 stimulated among the electors in public affairs, and without this stimulant 

 it would be difficult to get voters to go to the polls. If this argument be 

 well founded, the difficulty might be easily overcome through the instru- 

 mentality of properly devised machinery which would carry the polls to 



* While these pages are passing through the press, a general election has been held in the 

 Province of Quebec, which affords a good illustration of the instability, inseparable from the 

 system of election by majorities. The party until recently in power, under the leadership of 

 Mr. Mercier, had a large majority in the assembly. The general election of March 8th, 1892,, 

 resulted as follows : — 



Supporters of De Boucherville 54 



Supporters of Mercier 17 



Independents 2 



Total 73 



An examination of all the majorities shows that it would have been possible for 804 electors dis- 

 tributed over twenty constituencies, by reversing their votes, to have made the returns as 

 follows : — 



Supporters of Mercier 37 



Supporters of De Boucherville 34 



Independents 2 



Total 73 



If in 32 constituencies 2,006 electors had changed their votes, the returns would have stood as 

 follows : — • 



Supporters of Mercier 49 



.Supporters of De Boucherville 22 



Independents 2 



Total 73 



O 1 such slight contingencies as the change of a few votes under this system the complexion of the 

 government of a Province has been completely revolutionized. Respice, aspice, prospke. 



the electors. Such a device need not be widely different from the 



