The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-03-13
LegtsgattUs Apyo~siomanent Bigg.

tGtOn was reported by the senate com
mittee on Tuesday. As provided by
the constitution the senate will consist
! OF fifty members and the house Of two
hundred and one members.
I OF this apportionment and its GU
+ thors we desire to speak with as much
calInncas as the enormity of the out,
rage Will permit That the new con
stitution was not framed with sufif-
cient care to prevent gergymandeTing
frauds on the right OF representation
Was lOag ago foreseen. I hat the pres
cHt legislature would 90 to the utmost
length in the perpetuation Of this ini-
putty there was abundant roam for
apprehension IN the character or the
majority The authors Of this appor-
tionment have fulfilled q double pur-
pose. They have made such mon
stor Of iniquity as to set at utter
defiance the popular Will and they
have gratifiCd their hostility TO the
new constitution by showing what
ease they could pervert to the worst
partisan ends the solemn provisions
Of that instrument for the protection
Of the rights of representation. In
this apportiOnment they have more
than made good the frequent boasts
which they uttered on this subject
when the constitution was adopted.
To sum up She work # this gerry
nanIcr, it IS framed so IS to give the
republicans 4 majority Of about six
teen in the Senate and Of about forty
in the House, on the basis Of the eltc-
tion returns of 1872, with a republican
majority Of about thirty thousand in
Gn average vote Of $50, 600. To ac-
comPlish such a result the committee
have made the most violent cOmbina-
tions and mutilations of cities and
counties. The opportunity for this
g=rrymander arises from the provision
in the constitution allowing districts
to be formed in cities AMI counties
having over one hundred Thousand in
lSabitants, in which four Representa-
tiVcs may be chosen. This provision
was framed evidently with a view to
the adoption OF the cumulative or
free vote. But when that plan fell
through, the article on apportionment
OF representatives seems to nave been
permitted TO drift along without any
guardian and in this imperfect shape
it has cone down prey Of the un-
scrupulous radical demagogues in the
In The appOrtiOEmerS Of senators
from Philadelphia the bill is framed
in such way IS to give the democrats
one senator, with = vote Of more than
fifty thousanI With yet more shame
less violence to the rights Of repre- en-
tatI0n, about fire representatives in
the house from Philadelphia are CON
cedsd 60 the democrats in delegation
OF t!liroy-eigi.t members. The demo
cratic counties Of Luzarre ana SchuyI-
kill are tortured into such districts as
to give the republicans a senator in
each. Luzerne county is cut up into
eight Tepresy ntative districts with nine
members. But in Lancaster county.
where no such partisan end is TO he
accomplished, only three representa-
tive districts are to be formed. Demo
cratic Berks has not q weak spot which
radical fraud and violence could penc-
trate to wrost a member, and the com
mittee leave the county intact in is
representation. SchuvikiIl, on tie
other hand, is divided into four Ei,-
t}icts for six members. The ini.ri-
tous spirit which peryades this VIII lie
measure IS confessed III the c0ntra 5
between republican Allegheny with
fee districts and fourteen members Of
the house, and democratic Luzerne
with eight districts and nine members
Of the house
This gcrrymander is 4 demonstra-
ton Of the power Of the legislative
JuggIers over the good Intentions Of
the constitutional convention. One
OF tie ayOwed objects in caIlinga con
Venti0n to reform the constitution was
to devise some means Of removing
this periodical legislative scandal in
appOrtiOning representatives and to
give the people better security for
their rights Of representation Let
the present pPortionment bill, which
IS now going through the legislature
under the party lash, show what sue
cess has attended the efforts to attain
these objects in the new constitution.
- iA'A@ t-At az " StltllaOli Was Nllt tE
discussion the Harrisburg Telegram
and ether partisan sheets. in ignorant
or wiltul perversion Of its provisions
on representation, paraded apportion-
mcnt lists showing the unfair advan-
t2Ges which we're conceded to the dem
ocrats. BY this sort Of misrepresenta-
ton they succee led in securing many
partisan votes against the adoption Of
the constitution, when in fact the ar
ttcIe on representation was the weakest
IN the whole instrument in defense of
popular rights This shameless gerry
mander shows how idle were the fears
OF radical partisans that the constitu-
ton adopted liz December secured to
all the people OF PENNSYLVANIA lust
rights Of reprcsentation.-H -Harris6urq
Patriot
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