The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-02-04
HOUSE.

HOUSE,
WASHINGTON, D. O., February S.-Tht
apportionment bill was taken up in thu
House this morning and Mr., Cox offered
an amendment fixing the number OF rep
resentatiyes at SO7, 1t was ordered printed
and reconsidered, pending which Mr.
sherwin, q member Of the Census Com
mittee, took the floor on the bill. There
was no reason that the apportionmenI
should not make this session n, since all the
data were in on which to make the calcu'
latlon. Comparing the various bills which
had been proposed he showed that at SOl
the number first suggested by Mr. Cox,
the Democratic States would gain eight
representatives and lose two, net gain six,
The Republican States would gain ten and
lose eight, net gain two. Atthe number
selected by the majority Of the committee
(Slll the Democratic States would gain
twelve and lose none, the Republican
States would gain ten and lose four, net
gain six. AT $40, the number recon-.
mended by the minority, the Democratic
and Republican States would each gain
thirteen representatives. He argued In
support oil the latter bill, contending that
mathematically as well as politically 1t
meted exact Justice and fairness TO every
portion Of the country. For that reason
Il should commend itself TO every lair
minded man on the floor.
Mr., New asked II Sl9 would not leave q
larger unrepresented population than SOl,
SO7 or 81.
Mr., Sherwin-It left 10 slightly larger
number OF people unTepreSented than did
one OF the other numbers, he forgot which.
Mr., Crawford opposed an increasein the
number OF representatives In Congress.
Under Section2 OF the Fourteenth Amend.
ment the voters as well &s the members
might be taken into account In appor.
tioning the representation, and when any
State denied 10 any male citizen over the
age Of twenty.one years, the right to vote,
In his judgment that State should be de-
MED representation In Just the proportion
In which 1t denied such right TO vote.
Massachusetts and Connecticut had i'm.
posed an educational qualification which
deprived many persons ofthat right Della.
ware, Georgia, New Hampshire, Pennsyl.
yania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas
and Virginia had added property quali6.
cation, and the allegation had been made
that In the sixteen Southern States voterg
had been disirauchised by violence and
intimidation. He criticised the bill Of the
majority also, on the ground that 1t did
not provide for o continuance OF the dis
trict system, and argued that to change
that system would mot be good statesman.
ship nor wise legislation.
Mr.. Ray denied that his State imposed
any property qualification. l.,
Mr.. Thompson, OF Kentucky, replied to
the criticisms Of Mr.. Crowley on the ma.
iority bill, asserting that the "DistriCt sys.
TEN" was provided for In 0 separate law
and that there was no need of re.enacting
Il upon the present bill. Aa 10 the mum.
ber Of members OF which the House should
consist he believed there was more 10 fear
from reduction than from an increase.
Had he 10 choose he would prefer an in.
crease TO 400 or 500 10 reduction oil single
one. Large bodies were less corruptible,
and the Representatives OF the West and
South would favor an increase OF repre-.
sentation until the House could Withstand
any attack which the capitalists Of the
East could make against them. Abiding
To the second section OF the Fourteenth
Amendment he asserted that II was utter.
" impossible TO enforce II by legislation In
any practical way. He explained the fact
that the Southern States had cast q smaller
number Of votes in 1880 than In 1875, by
the abatement that In the latter year, tln-
der the lead oil New York statesman, the
Democrats were marching on to victery,
while in 1880 they had been expecting de.
feat. He then proceeded to compare the
various apportionment bills and argued In
iayoE Of the majority bill as being the best
and iairest II was fair 10 every State or
section. II any section should receive any
advantage from the apportionment, that
advantage should be given to the South,
because that SECTION had for ten years been
deprived OF fair representation,
Mr.. Horr thought the Spportionment
bill founded on the vote Of the people,
would meet The requirements ol the con-
stitutlon much better than one based on
the census. The whole number Of votes
cast In the thirty eight States was 9,297 =
900; the average number Of votes cast for
Congressman, 3l723 II the representa-
tion vas fixed OF 3ll, 90 proposed BY the
majority bill, tho average number would
be 1880, He then proceeded 10 compare
the numbers which were accorded the
Southern States by the bill with those to
which they we're fairly entitled. Missis'
sippl was sacoorded seven members, where.
aS, on the basis Of the votes, she would be
only entitled 10 four. Alabama was al.
lowed eight, where II was only entitled to
Eve. II got, under The bill, q Congress.
man for every $4,000, or 10000 less than
The average required 10 elect o Congress.
man. Georgia was allowed ten members,
though entitled on the voting basis 10 only
Ave. -,
Mr. Hammond, Of Georgia, said the
logic Of the gentletnan's remarks .wss that
the appoftionment ought TO be based on
the figures OF The last election, and not on
the numbers required by the constitution ;
conCeding that 10 be true, would II not be
The best way for The Republican party 10
succeed In Georgia, to refuse 70 vote at
oil, and thereby greatly reduce the repre-
seitalion from that 6tate2 . H.
Mf. Hoff: 1tUomes 20 nearly 10 that
already II does not make much difference.
Continuing his comparison he named
| Louisiana as being allowed six feptesen.
iStiyeS, though only entitled 10 three
| Texas len, though entitled 10 only eight
Virginia ten, though entitled only TO sew.
en-, Now take the Northern States, the
i I'M giving New York Lhirty.two members,
mi n Lhe Vote we're taken for basie OF
calculation New York would be entitled
10 lhifty.seveh. II New York were given
A member for the vote which would elect
a member from Georgia, she would have
eeyenty.one members on the hoof ot the
House, Ohio was given twenty members
an A voting basis she should be entitled
a. IwsnIV.innS II Ohio VAfa allowed