How Republican Majorities Are Maintained In Massachusetts

It is time saya Ben Butler that Alassachusetts had a Republioan form of Government. 100,000 fice bom Americau citizena aro disfrnuchised by two Darriers to free suffragethe educational qualification and polltax. If Masachusetts persists in keeping this large numier of voters from the ballot, Ben will ask congress to reduce hor representaron in eongress three merabers to conform to ;he rule of selection. This is what Ben snys to ft reporter. Aecording to tho State census of 187') tliore Wflre 861,113 mines on ttiH tx list. The largeot nuiuDer of votos ever polled wat 258,800 (at the Presidential eieotion of 1876). Now 208,000 from 350,000 lenves 9:3,000.- Take another fact. Tho popnlution of Massachusetts is 1,002,900. The voting strength of Ohio, for pxamplp, where here are no restrictions. Henee this State should have a total vote of over 400,000. The actuiil vote, as you see, is but 258,000, or nearly l."0(00 short of the natural vote. Allow 50,000 for stay at-horae voters, and we still havi) to account for about 90,000. MassachuBetts las 11 member8 of Congress. Accordng to the Constitution she isentitled tw ïut 8. For example, tho average busis of representaron in Congress is 30,000 voters - not disfranchised citiztns, but actual voters. The largest nnmber of voters in any Congressional district in bis State is 26,600, and in one district here are but 18,000. I propose, sir, to nvite the attention of Congress to this 'act, and demand that MussHchusetts res;oro the ballot to her disfranchiaed citizens, or lose thu three menibers frora ïer Congressional delegation, who repnot believo in an aristocratie form of ;overnment. The whole people contitute a mueh safer repository of liberty and justice than a part.however intelligent, cultured.or wealthy that part ruay be."