Daily Republican., 1881-02-05
Conversational ApportioDment.

from New York, aud Mr.. Horr membe
from Michigan, struck the true ke,
note on Thursday when they reminded
Mr.. Cox and his Southern Democrats
colleagues that the only true way to fl
u Congressional apportionment was oil
the basis of the vote cast at the las
election. These gentlemen very muot
disconnected Mr.. Cox and the Democ
rAcy by the terrible array Of fsureI
which they produced showing the sup
pressed vots Of the South which count
cd in the representative ratio the SAINT
as If q full vote was cast. Mr.. Crowley
was opposed 10 the passage of any re-
apportionment bill until after q
thorough investigation has been made
into the causes which resulted in a
smaller vote In the Southern States al
the..last election than was cast in 1876,
notwithstanding the fact that in the
intervening four years the population
has largely increased.
But it was left to Mr.. Horr to follow
and throw hot shot into the Democratic
ranks by producing the figures sub
stsntiating what Mr.. Crowley had al
ready said. Mr.. Horr found that the
total number of votes cast ard counted
at the late election was 8 ,297 592. On
total representation Of 3ll members
o. Congress, this would require an
average of 20, 696 voters in each Con
gressional district.
Applying this ratio to the States, Mr..
Horr reached sCme astonishing results.
For example, Mississippi will be en-
titled under the bill, as reported by
Mr.. Cox, from the Census COMMITTEES,
to seven members; on the voting basis
she would bs entitled to only four mem,
bers as she cast only ll107S votes. On
the basis of the committees bill she
would have Congressman for every
16, 125, or about one half the number
of votes which isr q lire on the aver
age to elect a Congressman in any Of
the Northern States except Msssachu.
sets and Rhode Island Mr.. Horr
found that the average number of vo-
tes received by each Northern Con-
gressman was 80 S3S, whiIB the aver.
age vote for each Southern Congress
man was only 23,376-a difference Of
about 30 Per cent. That is, 70 South
era voters Offset or balanced 100 North
ern voters. The bill of the committee
gives Georgia ten members; on voting
basis she would b4 entitled to only five
m,mbers. The former bill gives her a
member for every 1856 votes, which
is 1900 less than one-half the number
required to elect Congressman in ths
North, and is IA 1881 less than the gen
eral average for the whole country.
Fifty Georgia voters have more influ-
enoe at the polls, and thus iu National
legislation, than 100 Northern voters.
Under the bill which Mr.. Cox has
introduced into the House from the
committee, the States Of Alabama, Ar
kansas, Louisiana, Georgia, MisB5sip-
pi, Texas and Virginia, would be en-
titled to Sc members, while upon the
voting basis they would only be en-.
titled to 36 members. The entir3 vote
of the south al the late election was
2,758. 440, while that of the north OF
more correctly speaking all that had
never been slave States, was 8, ,538, ,j43.
I'm Ter Mr.. Cox bill the Southern States
would b. entitled to ll8 members, or,
one for every %, 376 votes cast, while
the Northern States would be entitled
TO l93 members, or, one for every 80
1893 votes cast. As q problem IL often
bstter Illustrated by a reversiOp OF facts
and figures, perhaps this is one that
will not suffer by such reversal. Let
the North m States have Congress
man for every %, 1916, voters the same
as the SOn!h, they would have $50
members in Congress instead of 1913
New York instead Ot32 members would
have 81 members. The average vote
in Georgia to elect Congressman wau
only 10 ,56j. while in New York it was
SASH. The same ratio of votes il
New York as In Georgia would give the
first named II members in Congress.
On the sam principle Ohio would have
45 members instead Of 20; Pcnnsylva'
mia, So instead of 27; Indiana, 81 in,
stead Of 13: Illinois, 35 instead of 10
From the foregoing array of figures II
must be evident to every unprejudiced
mind that an apportionment based
upon the ratio of votes cast is the only
true principle upon which representa-
tion should be based. Ii stead Of 2,
y58.4j9 the Southern States should
have cast 100000 votes, ard would