Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-03-30
NO APPORTI0NMENT

The Constitution of Pennsylvani,
enjoins upon the Legislature the dnt,
OF apportioning the State into Senate
rial and Representative districts sim
mediately after each United State
decennial census" The time for max
ing this apportionment is here and ye
the Legislature has been 50 much oc
cnpied in doing nothing for nearly
three months that hardly step ha,
been taken towards the performance
Of this important duty OF making an
apportionment. In the House Appor
tionment Committee the present law
has been reported as bill with the
viow Of giving it number on the cal
endar, and beyond that nothing has
been done. 1t is said that the Legis.
lature is not IN possession OF an off.
cial copy of the last census and that
for this reason the Apportionment
Committee have been unable to pre-.
pare the bills. There is certainly no
difficulty In procuring the official cen.
sus returns from the proper authori.
ties, 80 that there is nothing in this
excuse
The changes in representation can
not be many, and tho task OF re appor.
tioning the State will therefore be by
no means difficult if the Legislature Sc
riously desire TO perform the duty re-
quircd by the Constitution. In the re-
apportionment of the Senate Schuyl.
kill is no longer entitled to two mem
bers, and Lebanon is not entitled to
the half Of one, By liberal interpre.
tation of the purpose of the Constitu.
tion, so as TO secure fair representation
in the Senate Lebanon could be Joined
to Schuylkill for two Senators and lie.
high to Berks for two. Berks and
Lehigh united have apopulation larger
than two Senatorial ratios, and Schuyl.
kill and Lebanon together have pop
ulation nearly equal to two ratios. In
the Senatorial apportionment but few
other changes win be required. In the
House the necessary changes will not
be greater. Philadelphia, Allegheny,
Luzerne, Clearfeld and Mexican will
gain eight members in all, and these
must be taken from the counties that
have not kept pace with the rest in in.
crease OF population, as indicated by
the last censts. So there is no diGi.
Guilty in making an apportionment OF
OF the House, and not the
slightest room for the exercise of par.
tisan fraud.
1t is Unlimited that there is no in.
tention on the part of the Legislature
TO obey the iniunctions OF the Consti.
tuition in msking an apportionmcnt of
Senators and members at this session,
and the extraordinary delay in report |
ing the proper bill goes far to confirm
such suspicion, II has been alleged |
rs a pretext for this evasion of duty
haiti will be necessary to hold an ex.
ira session next Winter to apporuon
members Of Congress, and that the
Legislative apportionment may as
we'll be made at the same time. Ifa
'xtra session should be required TO
make Congressional apportionment,
hat does not afford the slightest rea
ION for neglecting or putting off the
iuty of making Legislative appor.
ionment. There is no necessary rela.
ion between the two that one should
&c postponed for the other. The peo-
,le of Pennsylvania may be very dull
nut they are not so stupid that they
will not see in this failure to make an
pportionment the invention of pre-
ext for holding a protracted extra
cssion of the Legislature.
By proper legislation an extra ses
ion for apportioning members of Con.
ress might not be required. It Is /
that the number of Repre-.
in Congress will be increased,
$ such a disposition was plainly man
est on the part of the Republicans IT,
be last session In that case Penn.
ylvania will hold its own or gain in
representation. 1t will be necessary '
My for the Legislature to provide I
hat such additional members as may I
Q assigned to Pennsylvania be elected ?
large, as was done In 1879. In case /,
40 representation be unchanged there
I'LL be no need Of a new apportionment
ntil the next regular session in 1883. p
ut whether an extra session for max.
lg a Congressional apportionment be
'quired or not there is in that no rea
IN or excuse for neglecting to make
10 regular Legislative apportionment I
ow, as required by the Constitution.
fter dawdling away months an ad. a
without making this appor. Y
onment could not fail to meet the Sc. 4
,rest condemnation. Tho present o
egislature does not enjoy so large :,
lare OF public esteem that il can af. i
rd to practice such an experiment y
! the public temper Harrisburg Pa. \
i0t. :