Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-02-08
THE RUTLAND HERALD.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1872.
The New Apportionment.

The New Apportionment.
EEThe new apportionment of the House
of Representatives has been completed,
the House rejecting all the Senate
amendments thereto. 1t is a mat
ter for regret that Vermont is to have
but two representatives, but this is an
event long expected. Mr. Edmunds
Mr. Morrill,, and Mr.. Patterson unfolded
the inequality under the House bill, and
Mr., Sherman and others claimed inc
qualities under the Senate bill. 1t is
clear that under neither of these bills
can q strictly equitable proportion be
made, and perhaps it could not be done
by any bill that could be framed
In the House bill the amount of repre-
sentation is 184,695 Vermont gets two
representatives, with fraction of lit
tie more than $4,000; Ohio gets twenty
with fraction of a little less than co.
Goo Under this bill, in districting the
so, 900 excess of Vermont viii be divided
between two districts, adding to each
$4,000; the 10000 of Ohio will be de
Eided between twenty districts, adding
5000 to each. Vermont will then have
one representative to a population Of
about 159, 900; Ohio one to population
of about 1877, 900 This is a provoking
discrepancy.
But we can see no way in which
discrepancy could be avoided, but re
gret that the lot should fall to Vermont
to bear it, 1t has been suggested also
that the traction of each State be di-
yided by the number of full districts in
each State, and the additional represent
tatives apportionedto the half the States
having the largest quotien hts. Ohio
whould retain her twenty, and Vermont
would have three. Then Vermont
would have one to a population of about
1906 500; while Ohio would have one to
population of 1877, 900,
An approximation which would con-
tain both elements of calculation would
De faircr, the size of the fraction and the
humber Of representatives Of each State,
and be settled by a compound proportion
Even such plan would not be absolute
ly equitable.
There must be an inequality under
anv possible system which regards State
lines, and ii would not be feasible to ig-
more these lines
Mr. Wizards supplemental bill, add
ing niue representatives, is cminently
lust, and it may save Vermont its mem
Der. It il to be hoped he may be able
to show the House the Justice Of his
measure
We notice the Burlington Free Press
is thus early announcing the limits of
the districts to coincide with the "sidcs
OF the mountains, " and with an equally
confident and certain air tells the people
THAT certainly would have been the ar
rangemtnt if the re-districting had been
done Ivy the last legislature and is AZ
certain to be the result in the next"
The mountain line they claim to be
the natural line, but the question is, Is
it the just line, according to population?
Had we not better examine this question
in the light Of justice to all parties, lest
our own apportionment be as grievous
III its discrepancy as that of Congress? !
The people by Legislative action are to /
decide this question, and not the news /
papers, OF cliQues or rings. There are |
chose who believe that dividing the State /
into districts east and west will be a
falrer, more 9qnal, and by far more
satisfactory method Some arc quite |.
persistent in this view in the southern /
section of the State, and perhaps ma
iority. /
Il il aquosion tina requires con~idera- ,
ton and adjustment, and in orr ri'w an |
arbitrary announcement Of how it will .
De, or shall BE-, is premature, to say the
least Oar own investigations Of the
subject have not led us to determine ,
which is right, but ii would seem that one .
division is just as "natural' as the other,
AMI perhaps more equal and just.