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

Lawrence, lWairen.
There were FL copnllrs erecled prior 70
1870 Is Smiths Laws 1907 ofswhich no.
more than five can fall below the ratio now
10 be fixed, and some OF them may probe.
bly, acain to II. They are Bedford, Nont om-
beflaud, Huntingdon, Miffiin apd Delaware.
OF course each Of them will be entitled to a
member uuder the constitution wthou, re-
gard 10 the number Of ,axables. ~
We do mol peIceive The grounds upon which
a representative has been heretofore allowed
TO Wayne. She is oneof The younger COM
lies and according TO the reports of lsxab,e.
e Senate Journal 1859, p. 1922, has been
below the ratio al the times Of r,akino ,bs
three last apporlionmsnts TIE ratio Under
the apportlonmen' az, ef 1886 was s.o57,
tP. Laws 7si,) uniet ,ha, of is4s-s,sze,
(P. Laws PAT } 1nd under ,ha, of 1867
1850 (t, Laos TIT y in each case exceed
ms 'hs 'ssables reported fof-{Xayne. Bd,
@s-'". ouuu'y was erected as Iafl back us
ais' March l7aS. it is possible, lhbush no,
'lke'y; nat it was up to The raio al some
! "me rrot 10 1886.
The growth OF our State in nanbets has
been wonderfully rapid. For while in 1888
the representative ralio was bat 3,057 it will
now be six thousand; showing that our tax
able population has doubled in twenty .one
years.
But our main purpose in taking up this
subject was 10 exhib, the gres, injustice
heretofore done our county in appor,ion.
menls, aDd -we proceed 10 thai point: 4.
In 1896, Columbia had laxables, 4sIs
Representatives ratio, 3oo7
Surplus, 1851
Multiply ibis by z, The number of years
the apporlionmsnl ran, and divide By the ra.
lilo; the product will be a; showing loss
TO the county Of Representative for that
number of years under that apporoument.
In lsi3, Columbia had tax ables, 1854
Representative ratio, 1876
Surplus, 1863
Multiply again by and divide by the ra.
ito, will show loss OF a Representative for
three and one fifth gears (nearly.)
ln 1885, Columbia (incuding Montour,,
formed from iI,) taxable 672i
Representative ratio, 1865
Surplus, 1856
Mullipiy again by 7 and dividing the pro.
duct by The rado, will give loss OF q i.
years.
So that under these three appurtionments,
extending over period of twenty one years,
colssabia ooaniy .has Io.t o raa sahar -fae fen
gears 10 which her saxables ehitcd her.-
Perhaps no district in The State has ever
been 80 hardly used, continuously, for near
quarter of century; and there is there.
fore good reason for complaint and for an
an appeal 10 the Legislature for liberal ieat-
ment in the apporlionment abou, TO bs
made.
There are additional considerations that
ought DOT to be overlooked. Under the
!hree appointments alluded TO, the county
has had one member, SO that the fractions
lost m each case, have been fractions over a
single ratio. In The case Of county with.
three or four members, q fraction of equal
amount would be small 10 each member
when divided among them.
Blu, what is more material, the Senatorial
district OF which Columbia has composed
part, has had constant surplus during The
time Of which we hare spoken. II is com.
mon thing 10 make amends 10 county or
district for misrepresentation in one branch
Of the Legislature by over representation in
the other. And ii is, in fact, impossible 10
cons irucl a fair apporlionment bill without
resoning 10 many cases 10 This principle OF
compensation. The figures as to our Sena.
ioria! district are lhese:-
1896, Senate District TX.
Columbia taxables, 4SIS