[Footnote 16: _Report on Municipal Representation Bill (H.L.)_, 1907
(132), p. vi.]




CHAPTER III

THE INDIRECT RESULTS OF MAJORITY SYSTEMS


"Nous attachons un interet vital, presque aussi grand, a la forme dans
laquello on consulte la nation qu'au principe lui-meme du suffrage
universel."--GAMBETTA

_False impressions of public opinion._

The first and immediate consequence arising from present electoral
methods is the growth of false impressions of the true tendencies of
public opinion, impressions that are still further distorted by the
exaggerations of the press. The winning of a seat is always a "brilliant
victory," and a "crushing defeat" for the other side. The German General
Election of 1907 affords an excellent illustration of these false
impressions. The Social Democrats lost nearly 50 per cent. of their
previous representation, and an outburst of delight arose in certain
journals over their "crushing defeat." But the Socialists' poll showed
an increase of a quarter of a million, and although their total poll had
not increased in quite the same proportion as that of other parties, the
figures showed that the Social Democrats were still by far the largest