New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-18
THE NEW APPORTIONMENT.

THE NEW dPPChIlONMEN1.
Before the apportonment of members of Con-
gress is made under the census of 1880. ques-
ton of considerable National importance should
be determined, namely, whether it is wise to
continue the policy of increasing the size OF the
House OF Representatives. This policy is not
the result of settled plan looking to large
legislative body as better than a small one. 1t
has been adopted as q makeshift only to
save tie older States from losing portion OF
their representation, when the successive de-
cennial enumeratiOns OF the population OF the
country have shown the necessity OF giving in :
creased representation to the newer States
The practice has been to increase the member
ship of the House every ten years to such an
extent as to enable New Hampshire and Yer
mont to keep their three members apiece, Rhode
Island her two, Massachusetts her ten, and so
on through the list of Eastern and Middle
States. OF course these States lose part Of
their relative power in the House, but they do
not feel this loss severely so long as they can
send inst n3 many members TO Washington as
before. 1t has seemed q sort of humiliation to
lose part of their actual voting strength in the
House, and they have thus far been able to
escape this misfortune by increasing the nu-
merical strength of the whole body.
This process of growth in the popular legisla-
tive body has gone on until the limit of the
capacity of the hail. with its present arrange
mt mt of separate desks for the members. has
been reached, and the system of legislative
work, which requires the examination OF all
measures by full House and the constant at
tendance OF all the members is considerably
strained. After the last apportiOnment smaller
desks had To be provided, and the limited free
space in the rear Cf the hall WIS encroached
upon by an additional row. Ii further In
crease is made, as is proposed, from 293, the
present membership, to $50, the desks must
come out and the British Parliament plan OF
benches once adopted and speedily abandoned
by the HOUSE must BE- substituted. This
would he in the nature OF an Improvement ii
the members could be kept in their seats with
out the occupation OF letter writing aud reading
books and papers 10 pass the time; but Win
the desks banished 1t il probable that the
British customs OF absCneelsm and of doing
business with il thin House would soon come ~.
The theory OF our House of Representatives is
that all the members should attend the sessions
regularly, aud that each should vote upon all
questions that arise. The theory of the British
House of Commons is that members are only
bound to be present Oh occasions when there is
patty division, or when matters are up fOI
consideration IN which they or their oonstItu-
cnts have IN immediate interest thus it is RAE
to see Il majority Of the members in their seats
at any one time.
a considerable increase in the membership OF
the House Of Representatives, Will tend to the
gradual introduction of the methods OF lcgisa
ton employed in the House OF Commons. The
power Of few committees and OF few paIa-
mcntaIy leaders will b. greatly augmented.
Perhaps such change is dcsrable perhaps it
is not. Let us have the question fully discussed
before the new appOrtOnment is made. There
is 10 occasion for haste. The next Congress
will not be chosen until the fall of 1882, and
there will be ample time TO pass an appOrti0n-
ment bill year hence. II We are to havea
House Of $50 members during the next decade,
let us make up our minds to see a House OF
400 members after the appOrtioumcnt follow
ing the census of 1890, and a House oil $50
members ten years later; and let us accept as
wise the changes in legislative methods which
will inevitably arise. We do not say that
large House is not desirable. The New-Eng-
land States have large legislative bodies, and
believe tnty tneieOy secure tlo plessihR vi
legislation small in quantity and honest in
quality. The other States, with few exceptions,
have lower House of not exceeding $50 MEM
bers. What we desire to suggest is that Con-
gress should give the country time TO consider
the subject and should adopt policy looking
to the steady growth, for nc least halt q century
to come. of the Mississippi Valley and the Far
West. The tcmporizing plan of putting up the
total of membership every ten years to accom-
modate the older States should be abandoned
for something that rests upon basis OF sound
craftsmanship.
xt-Lo., tho Torr,t,ry of p,Loto Ia divided M a.