Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-05-13
RYMANDER

LES, We tIo Ill lovoI Vi - 6Auo "uo
would be the use OF opposing it. Al
long rs u enemies are in power they
will use any means to retain it. and
gerrymandering has been very effectu'
al in hundreds of instances. We do not
believe in allowing an enemy to use
weapons which We will not use in re-
return. The republican party v fails
to gerrymander when 1t can make politi.
cal capital oy SO doing and the democrat
&c party would be stupid indeed to moi
make use Of the same means when it
has a chance to thereby promote Its
welfare. The Missouri legislature have
redistrlcted the state, and gave the re-
pu5lic.ns one congressman. They gave
this because they thought 1t better to
give up one than to endauger sever
al. They gave it up because they could
not. with due regard for law and their
own selt-respect, twist the districts
into such a shape as would give a GER
tain democratic majority IN each. They
gave It unwillingly, begrudglngly, and
do not claim any credit for generosity.
We have heard some democrats say
that VI ought not have gone to the ex-
pense OF re-districting. Shall democrat
ic Missouri. where prosperity IS unlver-
sal, not spend a few thousand dollars
for the sake of sending q democratic
delegation to congressP Look at Vir-
glnia, where Malone has been trying t.
cut the state into sucH districts as will
return hrs followers. And look at ILL
nois, great and prosperous. Her legis-
lature has wrestled with the problem of
how to cut up the state so as to secure
a solid republican delegation. Demo-
cratic Missouri and republican Illinois,
lying side by side, both almost empires
in themselves, are suitable for compare
SOD. Missouri must not go to any ex-
pense to secure men who will truly rep
resent her in congress. because she is
democratic; but Illinois is excusable for
mourning two or three times the ex.
pense, because she is republican. Mis-
souri, has been fairly Distracted. All OF
the districts are in good shape, and are
Of contiguous territory. How is it in
Illinois? We have no complaint to
make. but give what the Chicago Times
has to say on the subject. Gerrymauder-
ing has been escorted to so much under
republican rule that it has become a
legitimate mean to retain power.
Therefore VIZ say the democrats are
more than justified in making use OF this
means. Tie Times says OF the Illinois
districts: cat least one quarter Of all
the new legislative districts are not
formed OF contiguous and compact tcrri-
tory. The seventeenth district presents
two distinct parallelograms. each about
forty miles long and eighteen miles
wide, whose only point of contIguity is
lap of one upon the other OF just six
miles. The length of the district from
north to south is seventy-two miles, the
width eighteen miles, the two halves
being joined by a right angular isthmus
Of six miles. The eighteenth district has
the shape of a Mohammedan at prayer.
The twentieth is shaped like the animal
called a peccary. The twenty-first pre-
sents the head and open jaws OF an alIi-
gator. The twenty.fourth is one story
wide and three stories high, each story
extending beyond the mi below it. The
twenty. ninth has the outline OF o taran-
tula. The thirty-sixth, that Of a lob
ster's front leg with the claw open. In
the thirty-fourth, thirty-eighth. forty
eighth, forty-ninth, fitleth, and fifty
one recognizes the outlines of q number
of the most grotesque wild animals Of
central Africa. But the forty-sixth
furnishes the most marvellous case Of
partisan ingenuity in forming a legis.
lative district OF contiguous aud COM.
pact territory which perhaps all the
records of political ''gerrymandering"
could show. 1t is called @the saddle
bags district" One bag contains the
counties OF Hamilton and White the
other, the counties OF Wabash and Law
rence. Between the two bags are the
counties of Wayne, Edwards, and
Richland, which, with Clay county. con-
stitute the compact district of the mules
back across which the saddle. bags are
suspended. The point OF contigulty be-
tween thet W bags is said by n leg
~islator to be Hlne rods wide; by another
to be the width OF q pIank-road bridge,
which furnishes the only means OF COM
munication between the two bags with
out passing through the body of the
mule. To pretend that these districts.
the reverse of compact in their outlines, /
have been fashioned in compliance with
the law which declares that they shall
be composed OF contiguous and COM
pact territory" would be as absurd as it
would DO unfounded. The simple truth
is that the legislature, instead Of taking |
the law for its guide, was guided by the
purpose of packing a partisan majority
in the legislature" Republican legis.
lators believe in gerrymandsring. and
do so to some purpose, whether it looks
well or not.
We understand that there IL an effort
beng made at H~iggInsyiIle. by parties
claiming to be democrats. by cir
culatlng petitions and otherwise,
looking to Q disorganizing of
the democratic party, and putting tor.
ward candidates In opposition to the
regular ticket. to be selected at the
democratic primaries. We do not think
the democrats of Laiayette county can
be induced by q few Interested office
seekers, to give any considerable COUP
tenance or support to the movement, |
and We only make mention of
the fact to put demoer ats upon
their guard against any false represen.
tations that may be made to them. We
have a democratic committee, organized
only last Monday, fresh IRON the people,
who are amply able and willing to take
any steps necessary to prevent any move
ment of this kind being successful.
Sign no calls. democrats, tor any meet.
ing not authorized by the committee
selected by you last Saturday.
Senator Hoar, nettled at tho inquiry