Daily Republican., 1881-03-26
The W ard derry maud err.


to lose its most objective qualities.
Even this little condescension by its
anthors will hardly satisfy an out,
ragged people. The question with them
is, why should it pass at all What
pressing need is there for eleven wards
at this time anyhow? Why this turn,
ing Of districts end about that before
were laid out with such exactness and
care, that everybody had got used to
and knew precisely the boundaries OF
the wards they lived in. Let as look for
q moment and see what the carving
machine has accomplished. The Third
Ward before the gerrymandsr included
all that part OF the city lying west of
Market street and between Third and
Sixth streets. II was quadrAngular
territory with sides and ends straight,
and West street running across II di
vided it into two election districts.
The western district has usually about
&C Republican majority, though "Pav
Gardner, one of the patent revolving
kind of election inspectors, returned a
Demo cratic Majority of over 50. The
eastern district has generally about 40
Democratic majority, and consequently
the ward is about as nearly balanced
as IL can bs made. The represe ntstion
in Council is about half and half, a
little more Democratic than Republican
owing to such men as "Pst" Gardner
holding the elections. The Fourth,
Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth
wards each exceed the Third in popula-
tion and in the number of votes cast.
Reasonable persons would have sup
posed that the Third was one especially
in which no change was desired.
The First Ward which Is carved all
to pieces lies between Market aud
Madison streets, and contains all that
part of the city south OF Third strest.
In late elections it has been giving
about q round hundred Democratic
majority. 1t tiuctuates considerably St
times giving nearly 200 Democratic
majority and at other times is go
close that Republicans are elected
to Council. This, however, is owing to
the popularity Of the Republican can
didate. On a full assessment and
fair and square vote Democratic ma !
jority of about rs may be usually con-
ceded. Neither the population nor
the vots will equal that of the Third,
and consequently there is no real need
Of any change, except that it should
be divided into two election districts
by either Tatnall or West streets.
The Tenth ward, which is cut Gll TO
pieces to make the present gerryman
der, is the banner Democratic ward Of !
the city. 1t includes all that part OF
the city, south of Third street and west
OF Madison. 1t is the third ward in
the city In population and the popular
vote. The Democratic majority has
been over 400, but at the late State
election when there was tolsrably
full and fair vote it was reduced below
269. The ward, it is true, is too large
In territory and in the vote it casts for
one election district but this can easily !
be remedied in the Tenth as it has bsen |
In other wards with 8 larger territory |
and larger vote, by dividing 1t into
two election districts.
Now let as sac what the gerryman
der proposes. 1t takes the First the
Third, the Tenth, and Browntown,
turns them end about, obliterates the
old division lines, jumbles them up
together and makes what is supposed
will be four sure Democratic wards ou t
of them instead Of two sure aud one
mixed o. at present. Tae east end OF
the Third ward 10 which Mr.. Robinson,
a Republican Councilman resides, and
which end generally gives about forty
Democratic majority, is tnrned about
and tackled to the end of the first ward
which is probably pretty even in poll
tios. This it Is calculated will make
one sure Democrstic ward, and in order
that the Democrats may have the full
benefit of the gerrymander, Mr.. Robin
son who was elected to Council for two
years is lsgislated out at the end OF one
year.
A new Third ward ia then formed OF
that part Of the old Third lying be-
tween Washington and Adams street,
tackled to chat part OF the First Ward
between Washington and Madison
streets and that part Of the Tenth ward
lying betwe n Madison and Adams.
Thus tbs ~ or so Republican maj jrify
usually given in the west district OF the
Third ward is absorbed and crushed
Y W