Smyrna times., 1873-01-22

The REPRESENTATION QUESTION.
Castle county is sincere and persistent in the
advocacy OF increased representation in the
Legislature, and we believe this sincerity and
persiStency, coupled with the Justice of the
demand will, without dJubt, solve the problem
IN time. 1t may not be now, and BY the present
Legislature, but it Will come, sooner or later.
Failure now is only delay, not total abandon
ment We, as a people, are great sticklers for
Oldcustoms, but old customs cannot stand before
the just demands of this progressive age. The
fact that the present. basis of representation
was established in 1871, when the population
OF the counties was equally divided, or that
said basis was continued by the Wings in 1881
has nothing TO do with the needs of the present
generation.
When the citizens Of Wilmington tell us
that their city has grown so large and increased
so rapidly in population that one Representa-
tive in the Legislature cannot accomplish the
task devolying upon him we are disposed to
admit the fact, in the light of facts they
hold up to US. IF population has anything at
all to do with the basis of representation, that
city has not sufficient voice in the Lrgsa.
tu By the last census it numbered over
10000 population, or about 900 more than
Kent county has, yet Kent county is repre-
sented by ten members in the General Assem-
bly, ami Wilmington only one No other city
In the United States, it is said, has so small
representation. And New Castle county, with its
$500 people, needs mOre than ten representa-
tives, if Kent and Sussex counties, with their
81, 500 people, need twenty representatives.
There is evidently a growing sentiment in
favor of this demand of the citizens of New
Castle county, at least SO far as increased
representation is advocated. The hard -fsted,
censorious opposition manifested towards it at
first is not nearly so well defined as formerly,
while those who are willing to concede it, or
confess to the arguments in its favor, are
evidently more numerous. Most of the uppo-
si:ion to it grows out of political prejudice New
Castle county is "Radical," and very many
Democrats in the two lower counties look at the
situation through partizan spy-glass. They will
favor no proposition, right or wrong that will
IN any way increase the influence of the upper
county. There is also much of that prejudice
which pertains to all agricultural communities.
against the legislative influence of large cities.
These two barriers are the greatest obstacles
to the cause. Right or wrong they exist, and
are the most potent influences.
Many who favor the proposition, and
acknowledge its Justice, differ as to the means
by which it should be accomplished. Not
few, particularly in New Castle county, recon
mend the division Of that county, into two
Counties This would give double representa-
tion from that portion Of the State, but why 20
thr ngh -. an expensive, round about way
t. The measure? To accomplish
this would require an amendment to the
Constitution, and the people would be put to
the expense of furnishing two sets Of county
buildings, &c. If double representation must
come, why not get it in the most direct and
easiest way? Would the county be any the
better for dlvistn7
Another plan is to district the State" by
constructing every locality with a certain
amount OF population into a representative
district" BY this plan the voters of each
district would vote for only one representative
the one assigned to his district-instead of all
seven, as is now the case. This is after the
Congressional plan, and meets with marked
favor. 1t would require constitutional
amendment TO accomplish it, which tedious, if
not doubtful, process is against it.
" Representation according to population
meets with strong opposition in the lower
counties, because it would give Wilmington
such increased power in the Legislature. We
can see no objection to this, however, if it be
like the Congressional plan. viz: let each
county be represented in the House according
to the population, but let the Senate have an
equal membership, as it now has, and as the
U. ;. Senate has. Then any effort on the
part OF New Castle to abuse its power in the
House could be checked in the Senate.
But from any information we can get there
is little prospect of the present Legislature
I:axing any change whatever