The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-07-27
THE APPORTIONMENr.

ent, i'm it's article OH the " Census and Appor-
tionment," falls a long way short of its usual
acumen and Observation-Disclosures. It's views on
the subject may be summarized thus
Approximating the population of Montana at
30,O90, and taking those figures as the basis OF
the apportionment of the territory to a repre-
sentation of twelve members IN the council
we find that we should have one councilman
tor each 3,25S inhabitants. The population
of Missoula is given at 2,475 OF Beaverlead,
at :, 706, and of Deer Ledge, at S,S64,--a very
considerable reduction, by the way, from the
500 as stated in the census returns first pub
lished. In all, then, the West Side counties
are credited with il population of l4,045.
The population Of Jefferson is also given as
2,4CG. Upon this foundation the Independent
proceeds very adroitly to figure Deer Lodge
county out of its proper representation as
follows From tie requisite number OF
1858 which each ounly should have in order
to be entitled to a councilman MiSsoula falls
short 1888 and Jefferson 1872 while Deer
Lodge falls short by $40 of tile population it
should have to be entitled to three council
men. Therefore, argues the Independent, it
will be fairer to give Missoula and Jefferson
each one councilman, since they lack 50 little
of the requisite number, than it would be to
allow three to Deer Lodge; While to give
three to Deer Lodge, one to Missoula and one
to Beavehead would be allowing five council
neil to the West Side with a popnl ,tion of
14,045, leaving only seven councilmen to rep
resent the remaining counties, whose aggre-
gate population amounts to 25,05l. From
this the Independent plainly leaves it to be
inferred that Deer Lodge should he entitled
to two c0uncilmcn. But our county would be
entitled to this representation if it had a
population of only 6,5lG, therefore the hide
pendent's suggestion or inference, as we un-
delstand it, amounts simply to a proposition
to leave unreprcsented i'll the upper house OF
our territorial legislature, 2,34S of the people
of Deer Lodge county; rather a startling
proposition when openly presented.
But the question is not one to be solved by
a simple computation in arithmetic, or by a
mere counting of noses. Figures, notwith-
standing their proverbis.l veracity, are not to
be appealed to, 10 the exclusion of other and
vitality important cansi lerations. The indie
pendent has too intelligent All understanding
of Montaua's real situation; too comprehen
sive a view of Moatana's needs not to under
stand that mining is the bedrock Of our ter
ritorial prosperity, and that mining, in a
preeminent degree, is the industry that needs
protection and fostering. Further, the con-
fcssion is humiliatins, but it must be admitted
that Notwithstanding our excellent postal SER
vice, and unsurpassed facilities for the ditlu-
sion of information among all classes OF the
people, the men sent to the Montana legisla-
ture frequently entertain the most narrow
minded Of views respecting mining. The
Independent has been for too many years a
close observer OF Montana legislatures to make
1t necessary for lis to cite instances in support
of our assertion that the mining policy Of
even Montana Councilmen, the men from
whom wisdom and conservatism might well
be expected, is frequently of so suicidal aten-
dency that its full acceptance and embodiment
into law would well nigh work the ruin of
mining and all depending directly and indi-
rectly upon it. That a suicidal policy of this
nature is frequently to be detected OH the
part of our legislators Is a fact too well known
to need further mention. Now, the two
distinctly mining counties of Montana are
Deer Lodge, and Beaverhead. Granting even
three councilman to Deer Lodge and one to
Beayerhead, we have in all tour councilmen
to represent the mining interest, as against
eight to represent the other interests too often
united against mining in a league whose
ruinous tendencies CAN only remind us of the
rebellion once undertaken by the various
members of the body against the stomach.
Matters will be quite bat enough, even if we
are allowed Our full quota of three Deer
Lodge member in the council. To re-
duce that representation to two, besides being
an unfair Infringement upon the rights to
which we are entitled in virtue of the rapid
rate at which our population is growing,
would be an act Of suicidal folly inasmuch as
it would tend to ieopardize our mining pros
perity and through it the welfare Of the ter
ritory entire.