The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1881-02-18
DEMOCRATIC TTNFAIRNESs


ly unfair and false appointments in
congress, based ON false enumeration
of population. That the Bourbons are
at their old tricks was plainly brought 10
light in the recent discussion ON the
new congressional apportionment bill
which was ventilated in the house with
SO much spirit. This bill is of course, a
Democratic measure, and is characterize
ed by the old spirit of unfairness, as was
clearly shown by several Republican
speakers, who let the daylight of intel
ligent criticism shine through the work
ings of the bill. Mr.. Sunset Cox, the
little barking Democratic member from
New York, the author of the bill, has re-
peatedly declared the apportionment a
mathematical" question, but the fignres
have decidedly Democratic tendencies
Mr.. Crowly, of New York, made an
able speech on the bill which showed
up its unfairness and party bias in a
manner which made its friends uneasy.
The most earnest and logical portion of
the speech was that in which the speak
er dw0lt upon the fact that under the
fourteenth amendment of the constitu-
tiOn it is within the power and duty of
congress in apportiOning representatives
to take into consideration the voting
power of q state as disclosed in the
official returns of the last election
as we'll as its entire population as re-
ported by the census. He declared his
opposition TO the passage of any reap
portIonment bill until after thorough
investigation has been made into the
causes which resulted in a smaller vote
in the southern states at the last election
than was cast in 1876, Notwithstanding
the fact that in the intervening four
years the population of those states has
largely increased.
The bill was ably discussed by Mr..
Horr, of Michigan, in u mastery speech,
which challenged the close attention of
the house, and evidently created great
discomfort among the southern Demo
Gratis He found that the total number of
votes cast and counted at the late presi-
tial election was 9,296,592 On total
representation of 81, this would require
an average of 20, S96 voters in each con-
gressional district. Applying this ratio
to the states, Mr.. Horr reached some as
tonishing results. For example,
Mississippi will be entitled under
the bill, as reported by Mr..
Cox, from the census committee, TO sew
en- members; on the voting basis she
would be emitted to only four members
as she cast only 117,07S votes. On the
basis of the committees bill she would
have n congressman for every 1925, or
about one-half the number of votes
which is required ON the average to
elect a congressman in any of the north
ern states except Massachusetts and
Rhode Island. Mr.. Horr found that
the average number of votes received
by each northern congressman was 33, !
S3S, while the average vote for each
southern congressman was only 23,S7G-a
difference Of about 80 per cent. That
is, 20 southern voters Offset or balanced
100 northern voters. The bill of the
committee gives Georgia ten members ;
on q voting basis she would be entitled
to only five members. The former bill
gives her member for every 1865
votes, which is 1900 less than one-half
the number required to elect congress
man in the north. and is 1881 less than
the general average for the whole coun
try. Fifty Georgia voters have more in
fiuence at the polls, and thus in national
legislation, than 100 northern voters.
Mr.. Horr exclaimed: "How much of
this thing does Georgia expect the peo-
pie of this country to stand and hold
their peace? Under the committees bill
the seven states of Alabama, Arkansas,
Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi, Texas
and Virginia Will be entitled to sc men,
bers, while upon the voting basis they
would be entitled To SO members, show
ing gain of twenty congressman, who
really have no voting people ut their
backs Mr. Horr then instituted gcner-
| al comparison between the north
| ern and the southern states. The
entire vote of the sixteen southern states
was 2.75S, 449; of the twenty-five north.
ern states it was 6,539,143. Under the
committees bill the southern states
would be entitled to 1IS members-one
for every 1886 votes cast, while the
northern states would be entitled to 1913
members, or one for every 3S,S33 votes
cast. If the northern states should be
given congressman for every %, $40
votes cast, which is the ratio in the
southern states, they would have 2sC
members instead of 1913 members in the
next house of representatives as provided
by the bill of the census committee.
No other party that ever existed IN
this, or any other country would ut
tempt TO force down the throais of PEG
pie such rascally and dishonest legisla
tion, that violates every principle il
the basis of free government We
can only hope that some ray of common
sense. some consideration for the futur,
OF the party itself will awaken the BOur
bons from fastening upon us for ter
years, such a glarIng and outrageOu.
fraud as this Democratic so-called ap
portionment.