THE IRISH ELECTIONS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 56, 4 September 1923, Page 8

THE IRISH ELECTIONS

TO THS SDIIOR. Sir, —The elections which have just concluded in Ireland have been cpnducted pursuant to the system known as proportional representation, and the cable agent was good enough : to inform us last week that the- system "was certain to lead to much vote-splitting;. Permit me to point out that vote-splitting is impossible under the proportional system. The, necessi^' for adopting-it arises mainly from tha fact that vote-splitting- is a necessary incident of the single-member constituency, i That such a nonsensical message should [have been sent does little oredit to our j oable Bervice, and, in view of the immediate and practical importance of the I question in issue to this country, it is necessary to reiterate once again that the proportional system makes vote-splitting impossible. Had tho Irish elections been conducted in,, the. usual single-member constituencies,; tho Government, as representing the strongest of several parties, would have obtained a majority out of all proportion to. its real strength in the country. The Tesult shows the real stpngth of all parties, and by giving its proper share of representation to each, makes-the new Parliament really representative.

# It is not a little curious that the Coalition Government, which insisted upon proportional representation for Ireland, was equally insistent upon .retaining the old systenvfor England." The Tesult is-that there is now a Government in power there behind which are the votes of five millions of voters out of a total of thirteen millions! Reviewing his defeat after the elections, Mr. Lloyd George stated that 6uch an anomalous result showed the importance of electoral reform. It required a defeat to wring this admission from Mr. Lloyd George. When ho was "in the saddle," like politicians with whom we are bettor acquainted, he was satisfied, with the system, which ensures the permanent di6tranchisement of a large body of electors. —I am ,etc, . P. J. O'REGAN. 4th September. .