The Chickasaw messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1880-1900, 1881-01-27
Gov. stone and the Extrn-ses
sium.

.
he present inequality OF representa-
ion, and the argument adduoed 10
avor OF an extra session Of the Legis
allure, have made a profound impress
lion upon the minds Of some Of our
readers, and We are frequently asked
why is It that Gov. Stone refuse
10 call the Legislature together Z"
We have not seen the Governor, and
him as a newspaper re-
porter, that we might have ELECTED
bis views upon the subject, but We
imagine that reasoning similar to that
contained Ia the following letter adj
dressed to one Of the editors Of this
paper by q valued friend, had it's in
auence with our excellent Chief Exec
utive aud caused him to make his de
cision against an extra-session. The
argument is not conclusive, but we
are free to admit, there is force and
power enough IN It to demonstrate
that there are "two sides to the ques
tion," and to prevent fair. minded
men from severely critieising the
Governors seton in the premises
"There can be no doubt but that
the Senatorial Districts we're gerry
wandered by the Radicals so as to
give them control Of the Senate,
which for time was successful, hut
they we're finally "hoisted on their
own petard," so that we end nov but a
single Republican in the State Senate
Ofthe 10 Senator holding over, whose
terms expire in 1888, IA are from col
ored districts, 5 from white districts,
and the whole 10 are Democrats.
or the is to elect next fall We may
rely on the election Of at least eight
Democrats, which will give us more
than tWo-thirds in the next Senate.
Under the Constitution the basis
Of apportionment must be the num-
bsr OF electors in each county and
district, and careful investigation OF
the subject, has long since convinced
me that we (the Democrats) in the
House Of Representatives have moth
ing to gain by new apportionment
Under the system we have adopted,
giving each county a Representative,
which l have always favored, we have
decided advantage We have 1G
counties with a Representative each,
whose voting strength is not sniff
Gent to entitle them to one, while
there are only three Republican coun-
ties too small Tor one Represen'
tative Every Democratic county
in the State has one or more Repre-
sentatives, while Tunica and Quit
man with about 5000 voters have
one. A new apportionment giving
to each county at least one Repre-
sentative, and keeping up the pres
ent numberin the House, will requir,
over two thousand votes for eacl
Representative, and as the increase
has been greatest in the black eoun-
ties, the Democrats have all to lose
and nothing to gain in the House by
a new apportionment. Wecould no
hope to secure more than 81 mem
bers with all our advantages. while
the Republican, or oolored counties
would be entitled to SO. or course
this is some cause for complaint il
some Of the white counties, hut !
cannot be remedied by new appor
tionment. You will observe tha
Choctaw and Montgomery, will
4431 votes have three Representa-
tves. while Grenada and Tallahatchi,
with 5,139 have but two. Lincoln
ana Lawrence with 4,5l6 votes hav,
three Representatives, while Wash
with 1880 has but two, and Issa-
quena. Tunica, Quitman and Lefore
with $3.50 have three dc In orde
to have a majority in the House, ",
must carry some Of the black co IN
ties, and we can do that quite 81
easily next fall without a new appor
tionment, as with it..
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