Page:Carroll (1884).djvu/34

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22

In examining this Table, we notice, first, the uniformity of the upper line in each section (i.e. the percentages required when each Elector can give as many votes as there are seats to fill). Here, in every case, more than half the Electors must agree, in order to fill one single seat: but, when once this number have mustered, they have it in their power to fill all the seats! 'C'est le premier pas qui coûte.'

This absurdity diminishes gradually, from line to line, as we look down each section; the lowest line (i.e. the percentages required when each Elector can give one vote only) being always the most reasonable. One of the most startling anomalies is the 4th line of the 6th section. Here we see that, out of 100 Electors, we must muster 34 in order to fill one seat: with four more Electors, we can fill the second seat: with five more, the third: but 'then comes the tug of war'; to win the fourth seat, we actually need fifteen more Electors!

Lastly, comparing together the lowest lines of the several sections, we notice that they gradually improve as we move down from section to section, requiring a smaller per-