The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-03-09

1t is timely to remind readers that
every ten years, after each National
Census, the apportiOnment of Congress-
men among the several States is rear
ranged, and this makes it necessary to
re-arrange the several Congressional
districts; hence the title of this editO-
rial. .r. ....r.-.-
At present Ohio has twenty Congress-
men. 1t is not yet determined by Con-
gress, what will be the total number of
congressman and what, therefore, will
be the proportion to which Ohio will
be entitled, whether nineteen, twenty
or twenty-One. Several plans are under
consideration.
Whatever the appOrtiOnment of Ohio,
the TedistTicting of the State will have
to be considered.
Hitherto, for the past forty years, this
redistricting has been made the Oc-
casiOn of political outrage perpetrated
by the party in power.
Legislators, acting under oath, have
not considered what is fair or right or
Just, but, to what extreme can the law
be strained to secure to the dominant
party the greatest possible advantage.
The problem, nakedly stated, has been,
how many representatives in Congress
can we (the majority parity, steal from
our opponents, with impunity. And
this stealing is done by honorable gem
tlemen acting under the solemn re-
straint of an oath!
1t is scarcely to be wondered at, un-
der these circumstances, that the redis-
tricting the State, for the last four de-
cades, has been swiftly followed by a
political change, taking from the party
in power all that it had sought to gain
by its political robbery. 1t is to be
feared that, just as petty thieves con-
tinue to steal, Notwithstanding the pun
ishment and perils of the civil law, so
political thieves will continue to steal
representatives in Congress, nOtwith-
standing the people have ever been
swift to resent such political dishOn-
esty.
1t is too early yet to prepare plans
for redistricting the State; for the num-
Der of Representatives in Congress to
which Ohio will be entitled has not yet
been definitely determined. When this
has been decided, it will be time
enough to prepare plans of districts.
In rearranging the Congressional
districts of the State four cardinal
principles should be kept in view.
1st. Equality of population.
I'd. COmpactnesS of territory.
Sd. Unity of local interests.
4th. Facility of ntercOmmunicatiOn
of the citizens of the several counties
forming the district.
These four are presented in the order
of their importance. The last thing to
be considered should be the political re-
suit of such redistricting. and it should
not be cOnsiderd AT ALL, except in the
rare case where there may be a choice of
each of two or more Congressional dis
tricts in which the first four cOnsidera-
tions are all equally balanced, and that
is case not likely to occur.
But judging of the future by the past,
the POLITICAL RESULT, WHICH OUGHT
NOT TO BE CONSIDERED AT ALL, will be
the sole consideration, and then the dis
tricts being distorted as usual, the peO-
pie will be swift to punish the usual
political robbery by the usual political
defeat.
A great and general change of party
lines and party relations is imminent,
in the near future. 1t is earnestly to
be desired that, in exercising the duty
of redistTicting the State, the party in
power will set an example of political
justice and integrity, so that amid all
political changes the people can repOse
their confidence where they feel that it
is deserved.-[Bucyrus Journal, Rep.