The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-05-09
Washington Post.l
REDISTRICT.
WHY NOT q A wRuNas

WHY NOT RIGHT a WRONGS
Some days ago a small Ohio paper
of Radical proclivities published q
Great Revelation in the shape of .
letter written by Hon. Sam. Randall
to a member of the Ohio Legislature,
suggesting that the State be re dis
tricted in order to give the Demo-
Gratis a fair show in the coming Con,
gressional election. This letter
while intended as a personal sugges-
ton from the head of the Democrat
ic House to q Democratic leader in
a State Legislature, and as-such not
intended for publication, was still
an eminently proper document to
print for the information of the peo-
pie, and Mr.. Randall should be con-
graduated that it found its way into
current history. There is nothing
in the affair to be exculpated, apollo,
lgized for or defend; but, on the 9TH
err hand, it is q suggestion which
should be taken up, echoed and urg-
ed by every Democratic journal in
the country, and should be instant
ly acted upon by every Democratic
Legislature now sitting in States
which suffer from the effects Of Rad
ical gerrymanders. We submit some
figures to show the cogency of Mr..
Randalrs suggestion, from which it
will appear that Ohio is not the only
State which needs re-districting in
order to bring about an equitable
representation of the political views
of the voting masses on the floor OF
the House. Taking the total vote Of
1876 as a basis we find that, in Ohio
330,69S votes were cast for Republic
can members of Congress, while
323,192 were cast for Democratic
members. Owing to the infamous
iniquity ofthe Radical gerrymander,
the 330,698 Republican votes return
ed fourteen Republican members OF
Congress, while the 323,1S2 Demo
cratic votes returned only six Dem,
ocratic members. That is to SAY,
the Radical gerrymander under
which Ohio now lies is so arranged
that whereas %, 1921 Republican votes
on an average suffice to elect a Re
publican Congressman in Ohio, il
takes 53,S63 Democratic votes on an
average to elect a Democratic Con.
gresham.
The iniquity ofthis arrangement,
is apparent; but bad as the situation
is in Ohio, it is still worse in India
ma. where, in 1876, 213,526 votes were
cast for Democratic Congressman
and 20S,011 votes for Republican
members. But so villainously die
the Radical g~errymander of Morton's
last Radical Legislature operate
that the 213,526 Democratic vote.
sufficed to elect only four Democrat
ic Congressman, while the 20S,01l
Republican votes returned nine Re
publican members. That is to say
in Indiana it takes On an averag,
53,381 Democratic votes to elect
Democratic member, and only %,
112 Republican votes to elect q Re
publican member. In both thes
States the Democrats hold the con
troll of all branches of the Govern
ment, and hence have the power nee
essary to correct the abuses We hav
, pointed out. If those States wer
|. under Radical control and the Con
gressional Districts lay under Dem
: ocratic gerrymander, the Radical
would allow neither laws, constitu
tions, nor public sentiment to re
} strain them from thoroughly chang
ing the apportionnent for their ow
, benefit. But the Democrats seem t
: lack the nerve to re district in til
interests of even simply equity, an
S when the suggestion is made the
| seem to ran to Radical papers t
have the fact published, in order tbs
4 they may turn tail and cover befor
Q the storm of Radical denunciatiol
t No party can ever succeed unde
e such management, But, passin
from these two States where til
Democrats have the power to corre'
O the evils OF Radical gerrymander, Il
g us take q look at Pennsylvania b
way of further illustrating the syi
TEN. The Republican, vote in Penn
sylyania in 1875 was 3S4, 122 and Il
Democratic vote 1865 ,15S. The 3S4
3 122 Republican Congressman, Or Q
average of one member to every %
ir 600 votes, while the 366, 15S Dem
cratic votes elected only ten Dem
Ie cratic members, or u to every 81
,e GIG votes. 70 recapitulate we fir
that the total Democratic vote in tt
three States was 902 1856, and it ele
nj ted only twenty Democratic mel
IS bers of Congress, while the total r
Y publican vote of 922, 1871 elected for
~ Republican members! That is
n. say, in round numbers it took twi
" as many Democratic votes to elect
Democratic member of Congress
n. Republican votes to elect a Repub
f, can member. These figures demo
N strate not only the party sagacity
or Mr.. Randall's suggestion, but t.
10 popular equity of it as well. v
hope it will be adopted and carri
e. out wherever practicable. 1t will
if the Democrats who control t
ne Legislatures of Ohio and India
,e have intelligence enough to percei
n. and nerve enough to resent {
" wrongs which have been visited u
,ir on them by the shrewd and unscru
ID ulous Radicals when they were
power. If they have not that int
* ligence and nerve they. will probat
st continue to get along as best tn
n may with the Radical milestone ia
i. ened to their meek and long-sufferi
necks.
- Hon. VIM. Allen, of Greenville,
10 is to be the Republican candidate
: Congress in the Dayton district. !
- many years ago, vas in Congr'
from a district of which this cour