The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-07-09
The Issue in the state Election.

stand aside.
The Issue in the state Election.
The most important question to arise
In our State cleo ion this year T. the pas
sage Of law for districting the State for
members VI the Senate and Assembly. Pur-
suant to the Constitution. we cnumcratc the
inhabitants ~ the state every ten years for
the sole purpose OF furnishing basis for re-
districting il, and the Constitution makes it
the duty of the Legislature that meets next
after each enumeration, TO appOrtiun the
new districts in accordance with such emu
meration The Constitution is imperative
on both these points. The reason for these
two provisions l. obvious. In a large and
rapidly growing State like New York the
population would naturally increase much
faster, in the course Of ten years. In some
localities than in others and the mode In
question was devised for rcmedying the in
justice that would otherwise spring from
inequalities in the legislative representation.
From the foundation of the state till now,
this important duty was never neglected,
The enumeration Of 1875 showed that the cX
listing representation was grossly unequal
and extremely unjust to the southern part
of the State. The census was completed in
ample time for action 10y the Legislature of
1876. That Legislature was Republican in
both branches. After needless delays, bills
were introduced In each House with the evil
dent purpose on the part Of the majority
that there should be- final disagreement be-
tween the Senate and Assembly The plot
succeeded. and "A loud protest went up from
all men in the State who rose above the be-
hests of the most grovcling partisan-hip.
The Legislature of 1871 met. and like its in-
mediate predecessor. il was Republican In
both Houses. At the outset Of the session
Republican leaders IN the Senate and ASSEM-
bly, gave the most positive assurances that
a fair apportionmcnt hill should be- intro
duced at an early day. that full opportu-
nifty should hc given for discussion and
amendment. and that it should ultimately
pass. The subsequent cours" Of the Repuh-
lican leaders demonstrated that they never
intended to redeem these pledges, that they
Were put forth rs deluson a cheat. and u
snare; and that the final deadlock between
the Senate and Assembly was in pursuance
of a conspiracy entered into at the COM
menccment of the session by the Republican
managers.
Thus the matter stands to-day. new
Legislature is to be chosen this fall. Upon
ii will dcvolyc the duty of deciding whether
there shall be an honest and fair reapportion-
ment Of the State according TO the positive
inJunctlons OF the Constitution and the un-
crring deductions Of the census, or whether
our Legislatures shall continue to be elected
under the now dishonest and unfair appor-
tionment of twelve years ago.
Now. in its essence this Is not party qucs-
tiOn nj all. Our pre-cut reprpssuf af inn il "A
bad specimen Of rotton-bOroughs. True II
is not quite SO obnoxious to justice and de-
ccncy a. that which. down to 1892, prevailed
IN England, when dozen novels in dccaycd
hamlcts like Old Sarum and Glampound
elected two members to Parliament each.
while large and ilouli,hing cities like Man
chester and Birmingham were not allowed
n single representative; but our existing
Legislative apportionmcnt is based on the
Same vicious principle. Undcr the present
law the counties Of New York and King, for
example are deprived Of al least three and
perhaps four senators. and certainly four
teen A-somhlymon, to which thcy are justly
entitled. And yet tho Legislature loyic.
large and onorou- taxes upon those twocouu-
ties for the benefit Of the whole State 1hi-
is taxation without adequate representation.
The taxation OF New York and Brooklyn,
for the benefit Of the State at large, by a
Lcgl stature based on thr census of lsG5, il
an outrage Of the same kind as that against
which the compatriot7 If WAaHl>GToS aud
JEFFERSON and llAMILrOS lifted the sword;
and their descendants ought not t. submit
toit
This question Is Tho leading issue in tAc
Stat campaign of this year; and cyerv hon-
est man, NO matter what his party ai'ilia-
tions may have been hitherto 81 luId array
hinl-,lI aud cast his vote on tine side of just
representation and Of obedience to tie fun
daMcutul law