Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-02-10
CONGRESSIONAL APPoRTIONMENT.

| An AnglO.SCandtnavtan Row In the Com
mittee-A Snap Game Defeated-speoi.
mems Of the Gerrymandering Proposed
A meeting Of the joint special commit
tee Of the legislature on Congressional
apportionment was held at the chamber
of commerce last evening The majority
of the members were on iunket to the
penitentiary at Saltwater, and there was
no quorum. Those present, however,
proceeded to organize by the election of
Gen. Sauborn as chairman and Mr.. John
son as clerk. A recess was then taken to
await the arrival of the remainder of the
committee. Most Of them struggled in,
and by o'clock there were sixteen mem.
bers present.
Gen. Sanborn explained what had been
Rice arose and said it was hardly fair.
The interests of the whole country de-
manded that Scandinavian should be
appointed clerk. He made a long and
rambling speech, and worked himself up
into state Of considerable excitement.
Col. Geary was surprised that the COM
mittee had been organized in such man
ner. It looked to him like taking snap
judgment. 1t was certainly discourteous
to the committee, who were unavoidably
detained.
There were profuse apologies all around,
and after good deal Of confusion and
mutual assurances of esteem, Gen. San
born and Mr.. johnson resigned their Of
fees. The committee then proceeded to
elect Mr.. Comstock as chairman and M.
0. Hall as clerk.
MIR. Rice attempted to make speech
on what he called the constitutional de-
mands Of his constituents. He was choked
off by a motion to adjourn.
Senator Schaller moved, to test the sense
of the committee, that one district be
composed of Ramsey, Hennepin and
Washington counties.
Mr.. Rice tried to get in a word about
the needs of the frontier, when he was
called to order.
Messrs. Sanborn and Fletcher-the lat
ter acting as proxy for Mr.. Hicks-op-
posed the motion. The two counties had
no interests in common and should be
separated. Mr.. Fletcher, speaking as a
Republican, said the people expect
ed the committee to so frame the districts
as to return four or five Republican rep
resentatives TO Congress. For his part,
he would vote for the Republican party
in the committee, without regard to what
others might do. He did not think it
exactly the fair thing to group Ramsey
and Hennepin counties in the same dis
trict, and then divide the rest of the State
up among the boys.
Mr.. Sanborn suggested that the best
plan would be to form the northern dis
trlct first, and to arrange the others from
what was left.
Mr.. Rice spoke of the flag and the rag
ing Watonwan as the palladium of liber-
ty, and was getting warm again when he
was choked off by motion to adjourn.
Mr.. SearleS moved that the members
each outline the State into districts and
submit their outlines to the committee at
its next meeting, so that there might be
something to act upon.
Mr.. Sanborn suggested as district the
counties Of Ramsey, Washington, Chi
sage, Isanti, Anoka, Sherburne, Kanabec,
Pine, and perhaps Dakota and Rice, with
so much of the territory lying east of the
Mississippi as was necessary to make up
the requisite population.
Senator McCrea suggested as the Fifth
district all that territory lying north of
the south line of Big Stone, Stevens,
Pope, Stearns, Benton, Aitken and Carl
ton counties
Mr.. Fletcher named as the Minneapolis
district Hennepin, Anoka, Sherburne,
Wright, Carver, Mcleod, Meeker, Rem
vile, Redwood, Yellow Medicine, Lac
qui Parle, Chippewa and Big Stone
counties.
Senator Peterson suggested Rice, Scott,
LIE Sueur, Sibley, Brown, Nicollet, Red
wood, Renville, Chippewa, Yellow Medi
cine, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Pipe
stone, Murray, Cottonwood, Watonwan,
Martin, Jackson, Mobiles and Rock coun-
ties as one district.
Mr. Rice proposed as the banner dis
trict the counties of Faribault, Blue
Earth, Nicollet, Sibley. Martin, Waton-
wan, Brown, Jackson, Cottonwood, Red
wood, Renville, Mobiles, Murray, Lyon,
Rock, Pipestone, Lincoln, Yellow Medi-
cine, Lac qui Parle and Mcleod.
Mr. Geary proposed compact dis
trict, comprising the counties of Goodhue,
Rice, Wabashaw, Wlnona, Olmsted Dodge,
Mower, Fillmore and Houston
After little more desultory talk the
committee adjourned.