Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1882-03-04
THE ApPoRTIONmENT.
A New Plan, with objections TO Some
of the Others.

To the Editor of the Post and Tribune.
There have been several plans suggest
ed for appOrtiOning the state into con-
gressiOnal districts, but all of the plans
that have seen are open to serious OBJ
jectiOns. 1t is true that no plan could
be devised that would suit everybody,
but the following plan is suggested as
one that is probably as free from Objec-
tiOnS as any that could be devised.
In this plan the chief idea carried out
is to make as few changes as possible,
particularly in the older and more
densely populated portions of the state,
also to avoid placing new congressman,
now serving their first term, in the same
district, whereby their interests would
be antagOnized and retirement from Of
flee at the end of the first term follow in
the case of any of them.
The counties of Eaton, IOnia and Clin-
ton are each the home of member of
Congress, elected for the first time at
the last congressional election. In the
ordinary course of political events each
one of these gentlemen would be renOm-
mated for Congress without opposition
and doubtless reelected. Should how
ever, IOnia and Clinton, or either of
these counties be placed in the same
congressional district, one of the new
congressman would have to be retired,
probably much against his inclination,
at the close Of the present Congress.
In the following plan Of reOrganiza-
ton the first and second congressional
districts remain cs at present. In the
third district st. Joseph Is substituted
for Barry county. In the fourth dis
trict the only change is the addition of
Allegan and dropping of st. Joseph cOuD-
ty.
In the fifth district, Allegan having
been detached from the fifth and added
to the fourth district, Barry county is
added and MuskegOn county left out.
The sixth district contains four counties
of the present district with the addition
of GratiOt and MOntcalm counties.
The seventh district is like the pres
ent, emitting TuscOla county.
The eighth district is composed of
Saginaw, TuscOla, Genesee and Oakland
counties, and will be solidly Republican
as the state itself.
The ninth district consists of the cOun-
ties in the present ninth district in the
lower peninsula, adding MuskegOn and
ROscOmmOn and detaching MecOsta and
0sceOla counties.
The tenth district is composed of what
is left of the old eighth district with the
two strong Republican counties of Me-
costa md OsceOla added.
The eleventh district consists of the
entire-upper peninsula.
The ~inth, tenth and eleventh dis
tricts mprise the more thinly settled
DortiG 5 of the state, where the pOpula-
I irG6 rapidly increasing, therefore
ne in is left in their quota which will
be rapidly lessened each year.
This plan makes 10 if not II reliable
Republican congressional districts and
leaves all the new members so that they
may reasonably expect to be their own
successors. There is as great uniform
ity of population in the first eight dis
tricts as it is possible to have under any
plan. In none is the population unduly
large and all are reasonably compact in
territory.
Saginaw and Bay counties will be in
different districts which no doubt would
be mutually agreeable as we'll as adyan-
tageOus to the interest of the Republic
can party. The plan suggested by the
Saginaw Herald is Objectionable, as it
makes the population of Grand Rapids,
the Jackson and the Kalamazoo districts
each unduly large. 1t makes the Bay
county district doubtful if not Demo-
cratic with an opposition majority of
22S, and places ManitOu county in both
the tenth and eleventh districts.
The objections to the plan Of the Ale
gan Journal are that it changes the
of the districts. 1t detaches
Kalamazoo from its Old-time neighbOrs
where it naturally belongs. It also de-
taches Eaton county from its Old-time
pleasant and cOngenial associates, land
drives it out much against its will
among strangers. 1t places Clinton and
Saginaw counties in the same district,
thereby producing an unnecessary con-
flict of interests that had better be avoid
ed. 1t leaves the Bay county district un-
necessarily close and doubtful, which
can be remedied by adding Emmct and
detaching ROscOmmOn county.
1t is obvious that in the new appOr-
tiOnment of the state mere local inter-
est should be waived if necessary for the
general good.
Michigan has unanimous Republic
can delegation in Congress, and it should
take no backward steps. Under the new
appOrtionment, if properly made, the
state can send IL Republicans to repre-
sent her interests in the national House
of Representatives.
Such an appOrtiOnment can be made
as will generally satisfy our present con-
gressiOnal representatives, and the
great body of aspiring politicians who
hope to succeed them in due time, at the
same time not imperiling the interests
of the party generally, nor the party in
terests in any district.