Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1881-02-12
THE APPORTIONMENT BILL.
Representative HOrr's View ON the
Subject.


Thursday of last week the apportion-
ment bill was under consideration in the
House, and Representative HOrr, of this
district, took occasion to present his
views on the subject in the following
fOrcible manner:
Mr.. Horr thought the apportionment
bill, founded on the last vote of the peO-
pie, would meet the requirements of the
constitution much better than one based
upon the census. The whole number of
votes cast in thirty-eight states was g.
1000; average number of votes cast
for Congressman, 31,722. If the repre-
sentatiOn was fixed at 81, as proposed
by the majority bill, the average num-
Der would be 1896. He then proceeded
to compare the number of members
which were accorded to the Southern
states by the bill with those to which
they were fairly entitled. Mississippi
was accorded seven members, whereas
on basis of the vote they would be only
entitled to four. Alabama was allowed
eight whereas it was only entitled to
five. 1t got under this bill a Congress
man for every 1900 votes or 5000 less
than the average required to elect a
Congressman. Georgia was allowed ten
Representatives, though entitled upon a
voting basis to only five. Continuing
his comparisons he cited Louisiana be-
ing allowed six Representatives, though
only entitled to three; Texas ten, though
entitled to but eight, and Virginia ten,
though entitled to seven.
Now take the Northern states. The
bill gave New York thirty-twO members
but if the vote were taken for basis of
calculation, New York would be entitled
to thirty-seven. If New York were given
a member for the vote which would elect
a member from Georgia she would have
seventy-One members on the floor of the
House. Ohio was given twenty mem
bers, on voting basis she would be en-
titled to twenty-four. If Ohio were al
lowed member for the same number of
votes which would elect one from Louis
lana, she would be represented in the
next House by forty-fve members, a
quite sufficient number to satisfy the
claims of her sn0bbs and shrinking pol
iticians. Uaughter.) Indiana was &C.
corded thirteen representatives; on a
voting basis she would be entitled to six
teen, and if she received member for
the same number of votes that would
return from Mississippi there would be
twenty-eight Hoosiers on the floor Of
the next House. On basis of votes the
South would get ninety-three members
and the North 218. Strictly speaking
under the constitution the census basis
was the proper one, but there was a deep
feeling in the minds of the people that
a systematic crushing out of nearly one.
fourth Of the entire votes of several
states of the Union was little less than q
terrible crime. The people feared that
if not prevented it would destroy the
very foundation of civil liberty in this
country. If there could not be a free
ballot there was but little need of an
apportionment bill of any kind, for with
out that the will of the people could moi
be expressed and the elections become q
mere farce. He did not charge the cen
sus to have been unfairly taken, but il
was manifest that there was cheating
either in the census or in the vote. In
concluding he said he believed the ma
jOrity bill had been drawn up for TIT
purpose, of giving greater strength t.
the South. For one he was fully deter
mined to oppose the measure first las
and at all times, and that too, with al
means kind Providence and parliament
airy law would permit.