The Portland daily press., 1870-01-06


we have already referred briefly to the eff
lsct winch the next census will have upon the
membership of the national House of Repre-
sentatiVes. The new apportionment of Rep
resentatives has been separated from The
census bill now before Congress, but whether
the next House shall be elected upon the old
apporticnment or new one is yet an open
question. The present number of members is
243. If the number is not increased, the ra-
ito OF representation will be much changed on
account Of the increase of population. the
constitution requiring that representation as
well as direct taxation shall he based unon
Ihe aggregate number Of people. Surprising
tuat tne census OF 1870 shows the population
W oe 4O'Zoo,oOO, as one of our most careful
Statisticlans has computed, and that Congress
uec'des hat the number of members shall not
oe increased, the number of inhabitants re-
CURED to elect Representative will be 1867
90 while States having less population than
tais ratio will have one Representative accord
ing 70 the constitutional provision for small
STATES and States having fraction of popu-
iatlon equal to more than half the ratio will
nave an additional member, ACCORDING to the
usage which has uniformly prevailed. The
PROBABLE additions by reason of the facts last
mentioned would increase the number of Rep
reSentatives to 2lS, Nevada with population
less than the ratio having one, add perhaps
Maine and five other States, with fractions
over pan the ratio, also having one each on
that account. Ii Names population reaches
1oo'ooo, then, it will not lose any representa-
i've, even If tne whole number is unchanged,
but it is computed that New England will lose
six; viz, New Hampshire, Vermont, Ccnnec.
t'cut and Rhode Island one each, and Massa-
chusetts two. Maine having lost one by the
apportlonment of 1850, retains her present
representation by means of a probable large
traction. IL is also estimated that the Middle
states will lose Z, while the Western States
VIII gain IA and the Southern States 4. All
tnese estimates are on the hypothesis of the
population we have mentioned, of an I'm
changed aggregate of membership and a given
increase OF population in all the States, the
increase OF Maine being to 10000. not i'm
probable figure
western members are naturally anxious that
the Congressional Elections next fall should be
based upon new apportionment, since other
wise they will not have the weight in the ma
tiopal councils to which their numbers en,itle
them. To this New England members will prob
ably accede. The increase of population, will,
naturally lead to an increase of membership to
about 300, in which case no State will lose
member, and the joy OF Democratic organs in
view OF the assumed fact that New ENGLAND is
10 suffer under the new apportioument will
be premature. Ofcourse relatively New Eng
Ian viii lose, but not absolutely if the mem
oership is increased to 800. On the other
hand 1t is the Democratic States of MARYLAND
kentucky and Delaware that are in danger of
loss, Tor unless their negroes are given the
ballot by means of the ratification of the 18th
amendment or by voluntary changes in their
State constitutions, they will all be weaker
IN the Forty second than In the Forty-first
Congress, by reason of the provisions of the
18th amendment.