The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-01-28

Forest, Snyder,
! Fulton. Venango,
| Jefferson, Wyoming,
! Juniala, Wayne,
| Lawrence, Warren.
| There were 2i counties erected prior to
1890 Is Smiths Laws 1907 of which moi
more than Ave can fall below the ratio now
TO be fixed, and some OF them may proba-
! bly, attain to 1t. They are Bedford, Norlt um
berland, Huntingdon, Mifflin and Delaware.
| OF course each Of them will be entitled 10 a
member under the constitution withou, re-
gard 10 the number Of ,axables.
We DO poi perceive the grounds upon which
a representative has been heretofore allowed
10 Wayne. She is oneof The younger coun-
Ties and according TO the reports OF laxables
I e Senate Journal 1850, p. 1922 has been
below the ratio al the times of making The
lhree last apporiionments. The ratio Under
the appor,ionmen, aci Of 1896 was 3,057,
(P. Laws 1919 under that of ls43-3,s76
(P. Laws 247 } aud under that of 1850
4,s65, (P Laws TT j in each case exceed
ing the taxables reported for Wayne. But
as tho county was erected as far back as
2lsl March 1898. il is possible, though not
likely, that it was up TO the ratio al some
time prior TO 1886.
The growth of our Stale in numbers has
been wonderfully rapid. For while in 1886
the representative ratio was but 3,057 it will
now be six thousand showing that our tax
able population has doubled in tweny-one
years.
But our main purpose in taking up this
subject was TO exhibi. the great injustice
heretofore done our county in appor,ion.
ments, and we proceed 10 that point
In 1896, Columbia had iaxables, 4s1s
Representative ratio, 3057
Surplus, I76l
Multiply this BY 7, The number of years
the apporlonmsnl ran, and divide by the ra-
ito; the product will be 4 showing loss
to the county Of Representative for tha,
number of years under that apporlionment.
10 Isl3, Columbia had lax ables, 1854
Representative ralio, 1876
Surplus, 1868
Multiply again by and divide by the ra-
ito, will show loss Of Representative for
three and one f6h gears (nearly.)
ln 1850, Columbia (incuding Montour,
formed from ii,) taxable 672l
Representative ratio, 1865
Surplus, 1856
Multiply again by and dividing the pro.
duct by the ra,io, will give loss of % Il
years.
So lha. under these three appurionments
extending over period Of twenty one years,
Columbia county has lost member for ten
gears to which her taxables entitled her.
Perhaps no district in the Stale has ever
been so hardly used, continuously, for near
a quarter OF century and there is there
fore good reason for complaint and for an
an appeal to The Legislature for liberal tIeat'
ment in the spporionment about 10 be
made.
There are additional considerations that
oueh, rot to be overlooked. Under the
three apporlionmenis alluded to, The county
has had one member, 80 That the fractions
lost IN each case, have been fractions over a
single ratio. In The case of county with
three or four members, fraction of equal
amount would bo small 10 each member
when divided among them.
But what is more material, the Senatorial
district oil which Columbia has composed a
part, has had constant surplus during The
time of which we have spoken. II is CON-
mon thing TO make amends 10 a county OF
district for under-representalion in one branch
of the Legislature by over representation in
The other. And i, is, in fact, impossible 10
cons rucl fair appor'ionment bill without
resorling in many cases 10 this principle ol
compensation. The figures as to our Sena.
toriai disric, are these -
1886, Senate District TX.
Columbia, taxables, 4sls
Schuylkill, 400
95l8
Senatorial ratio, 1886
Surplus, 262
ts43, Senate District XIII.
I.uzerne, 1861
Columbia, 56l4
-
1925
Senatorial ratio, il746
Surplus, l54s
1850, Senate District XVI.
LuZerne, 1069S
Columbia, (incl. Montour,) 672l