National Republican., 1880-09-02
TIE NEXT APpoRrIoNMEyT
Tho Times" Estimate aud It's Basis the
saLLLl,nrL, Gnn.LIs LlnliLr,ia

Iho IlmeS' Estimate ana ltS Busfs tuc
Southern Census Returns.
To The Editor Of he philadelphia Press:
SIR: Some one has sent me through tho
mail printed slip. iuoosed in an envelope,
containing two articles from the Philadelphia
Times, ono in tho issue of August IL on "The
ApportIonment of 1880" the other In tho
paper of August 13 on "rhe Future
Electoral Vote" l presume these slips
are being widely circulated and have mani
fest political significance. A table is sub.
mittcd showing by official returns of the
present census aud by careful estimates tho
population Of the country by states, sggre-
eating 1854 d04 as against IS s,56s,37l in 1870.
The writer assumes (gnd am lot 10 think, for
reasons that will appear hereafter, that It is IN
tended TO forecast democratic policy in tho
next Cougress) that the house Of representa-
,ives will consist of 800 members, and lie
ventures the remark that "the result would he
substantially the same in the electoral college,
no matter how large or how small the house
may he made, as population would govern in
any case" Another table is then presented
| to show that under such an apporton'
ment the sixteen slave states would GAIN net
six votes in tho electoral college, while tho
remaining states twenty-five in all, would
| have a net gain OF one. This amazing advau-
| tage which Is to bo given solid south by the
| ingenious arithmetic aud old.time subserv-
ency of northern democrats may well startle
| the great north aud west, possibly supposed to
| be too much engaged in making money aud
paying the debt of the southern rebellion to
| fortify themselves against this adroit scheme.
Why IL unseemly haste to use-nuy, TO esti,
mate in some cases--tho inCrcdulous returns of
the census from the southern states in such a
way AS to increase ahnurmally their political
power, already dominant and dOuIiueering in
house aud senate?
will not at this timo discuss the probable
correctness or incorrtctuess of census returns
in tho south us reported nor shall sllude TO
the spcCUus reasoning of the Times TO account
for such surprising results. Ii they prove to
be- correctly enumerated | shall rejoice for the
sake Of our counrys future. But no theory
has yet bUeu advanced which will explain
why South Carolina should increase her popu-
!ation in the last ten years at rate nearly
double that Of Pennsylvania, whose mills
and furnaces and mines aud factories are
teeming with wellpaid labor. In fifty
years. from 1920 to 1870, Pennsylvania in
creased at u rate per cent. seven aud a,hslf
times greater thSu that of South Carolina in
the same time. In comparing new states
with old, such phenomenal differences might
be shown, Virginia Gncuding West virginia.
seems TO have gained almost Us much in ten
years since 1870, rs in hiiy years proceed
} lug. But pass from this aud call attention
to the assertion of the Times that the vote OF
tho electoral college will not he materially
! changed by having the house consist Of 800
mcmbcrs, or any other number, however large
or small. For instance, should the basis of
apportionment be 10000, giving the house
. $40 members, the sixteen slave states, Instead
Of gaining 6 votes in the electoral college, AS
, in the Tines calculation 300 membcrs, would
gain 90; the remaining states, Instead of gain
= Ing /, would gain 30.
Again, should the basis be 100000, giving
. 2t0 members of the house, instead OF 300, I'd
the Times has il on a basis OF lG3,s55, tho
slave states would lose IL votes aud the re-
naming states lose 3D.
In making q division Of the population in
l any state, II the fraction remaining WAS equal
1 10 or greater than one.half the division t was
counted Us one in thoq oquoIient, not otherwise.
, The next congrcs. will, therefore, have a most
. important duty deyOIyed upon II In making
this gpportiunment. States IN which senators
, arc to b0 elected in ISL should see ut that
!, republican icg i~,atuyes are chus n. Republic
! cans should secure control OF the lower house
of congress it possible Then, with G .uerUl
Gutield as president, admitting that tha mar
vclous growth Of The south sha'l prove to be- rs
c,imed, the republican control Of national
legislation, under which alone il was possible,
{ w,ll be continued As = boon TO the whole cOun-
try. w. 5. SuALLENBERGER.
ROCHESTER, PA, August %, lssO.