The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-01-15

An analysis of the first BILL or the senate
rial districts of the second bill, which are
identical, shows that, according to the vote
for secretary of state at the late election, the
Democrats would have majority in thirty
one districts and the Republicans in nine
teen, counting Marion as two. The average
voting population to the district. if the
whole population could be exactly divided
into fifty districts, would be, as before stated,
1920; but as counties can not be divided, an
exactly equal apportionment is not possible
1t will be found, however, on examining
these fifty districts
/. That ten of them have exactly the
population required, viz: 1920, of which
seven districts are Republican and three
Democratic.
2. Of the nineteen districts having pop
ulation under the exact average number re-
quired, ten are Republican and nine Demo-
cratic.
8. OF the twenty.one districts having q
population over the exact average number,
two are Republican and nineteen Demo-
cratic.
4. The average voting population of the
Democratic districts is GIGS, whereas the
average voting population of the Republic
can districts is only S.692, making differ
ence per district on an average Of about 476
in favor of the Republicans, so that as far as
representation in proportion to population
is concerned, this proposed apportionment
would not only be liberal to the Republi
cans, but most favorable to them.
The .5;str;cts oro co forr,a1 not In
throw any two senators holding over into
the same district, thus leaving exactly one
half OF the senators to be elected at the next
election, as provided in the constitution.
If the next election should go as the last
and ali the senators be elected at that time
the result under the first bill would be in
the senate, thirty one Democrats and nine
teen Republicans, and in the House sixty
two Democrats and thirty-eight Republicans.
Under the second bill the Senate would of
course stand the same, and the House so
Democrats and 50 Republicans. We have
not time to-day to make an analysis OF the
second bill as to the House, but we are told
it is entirely fair to the Republicans in the
matter of population. or course IT would
not be possible to make an apportionment of
all the counties, they being of unequal pop
ulation, and many of them of uneven shapes,
SO as to be exactly Symmetrical or equal In
population, but certainly these districts are
great improvements in both respects over
the present apportionment. In the haste of
preparing this article our figures may
not be entirely correct, but they are be.
lieved to be substantially SO. There
are always SO many conflicting inter
ests and views in relation to Legislative
appointments that they are exceedingly
difficult to adjust SO as to meet with general
acqulescence, and no doubt many other
plans are prepared or will be prepared, or
amendments offered to these bills, and to
facilitate the matter we publish elsewhere a
table giving the official voting population by
counties, so that every member who wishes
will have the material to figure out district
to suit his own views
The following is Mr.. English's bill for the
congressional districts: