The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1875-09-11
LeEI.IatlYe ApportIonmsnL


When GOV. Thayer proclaimed the
present apportionment for the Council
and House Of Representatives, bitter
complaint was made in some parts Of
the Territory that they were not fairly
dealt with. 1t was contended 10y par
ties in Albany county that its proper
ton Of the next Legislative Assembly
should be quite as large a hat of
Laramie county. In Uinta county
there was much complaint because its
proportion was not fully as large as
that Of Albany county. So too with
some of the citizens OF Carbon and
sweetwater counties, they complained
that the representation accorded to
them was less than they were entitled
too.
We presume that no one has ques-
toned the intention OF Governor
Thayer to deal fairly with all parts Of
the Territory in making the appor-
'tionment. He made 1T upon the best
information attainable at the time
aud the fact is now quite apparent that
all parts of the Territory were fairly
considered in making the apportion-
ment.
The error, that many OF those who
found fault with the late apportion-
ment have fallen into, hat the appor-
tionment should have been based upon
the number of votes polled ut the pre-
vious election, deserves correction.
Representation in all Legislative bod
les throughout the United States, is
based upon population. Nowhere, in
IL State Of the Union, are members
of The Legislature or members of Con
gress apportioned upon the basis Of
tho actual votes cast aud perhaps
nowhere else, except in Wyoming,
would representation be claimed on
such a basis, and here only by those
not safe to follow.
p The organic act (Sec. 49, authorizes
the Governor to make an %apportion-
districts, for members of the first leg
islative assembly, giving to each sec
ton of the Territory representation in
the ratio of their population, ~ nearly
as may be-" To enable him to do this
the Governor was also authorized by
the act to cause a census or enumera-
ton of the inhabitants of the several
counties or districts of the Territory to
be taken.n From this it is clear that
the purpose and intent OF Congress
.nsau To f,nl-A Tho In1f3 nF a,VfglaffNa
representation the population of the
Territory and not the number of votes
cast and the ''representatiouh of each
county or district was TO be in the
ratio of their population as nearly as
may be-, The subsequent apportion-
ing of the members of the legislative
assembly in the several counties or
districts, is by the same act conferred
upon the legislature but it is express
~ declared therein that it must be
~"according to the population"
The last legislative assembly, as well
as the previous one, neglected or
shirked its duty in failing to make n
legislative apportionment among the
different counties, according to the
population and Congress passed an
act authorizing the Governor to make
the necessary apportionment, in &C
cordance with the provisions" of the
organic act, except hat n new or addi-
tiOnal census or enumeration of the
inhabitants of the Territory was not
TO be taken. Those who claimed
greater representation for their coun-
ties than they received, on the basis of
votes" cast, can readily see there is
no warrant for such a ratio.
The duty of the incoming legisla-
tive assembly is plain. Let a hill be
passed the first days of the session
authorizing the Sheriff or some other
officer of each county, to proceed and
take u census or enumeration of the
Inhabitants within it, and make re-
turn of the number, within a limited
Number of days, to the Secretary, or
pirect to the assembly itself, and then
hn apportionment can be made ''ac-
'cording to the population" as the law
directs.