The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1882-09-30
Tm APpOREI0lg1GUeT.

Finally the Board Of Appestion-
ment has performed the duties Inn
posed upon II by INV, and the people
can now ahead and select the ind
viduals with Congress heads on them
to enact laws for the Territory next
winter. 1t will naturally suggest It.
self to any unbiased mind that the
ratio Of appostionn,ent might have
appropriated more nearly to the
population II the board had handled
the subject with judicial impartiaIity.
But the difficulty may hsve been In
the limited number Of offices to 80
around, like the foreigners criticism
upon our republican Institutions
inadequ.;y Of Office for the wants Of
the PEOPLE. There were hut twelve
Council members at the disposal OF
Board, and twice that number Of
House members, and twelve Counties
to lie provided for. 1t would have
becn simple problem with an even
distribution Of population among the
| several counties but with . large dis'
proportion in this respect the ques-
ton became manifestly somewhat
Intricate.
Under our form Of government tie
upper heuse Of all legislative bodies
is SUPPOSED to be . representation
of territory rather than population
That Is the case in our general gov
crn,r emit, where the most insigl ih-
cant State has an equal voice In the
Senate with the most powerful. II
that had been the theory upon which
the recent apportionnent was based-
one Council member for every Coun-
ty-the mass Of the peple would have
bowed In acquiesence to y rule sane
toned by tinIe-lsonored precedents.
But the somewhat arbitrary action OF
the Board suggests an inference that
it was not governed by either the ter
ritorial or per capita consideration.
1t 70 happens that the two most popa-
lous counties in the Territory are the
smallest in territorial area. Silver
low County, the smallest in the bum
die, has . population fully one-thtrd
greater than any other county.
But It is not intended to lit our
voices In sorrow because 80 few u our
citizens are accorded the privilege al
winning imperishable names In the
Legislative halls Of Montana nor u
It intended 10 call particular attention
to the fact that the COW counties are
given orchestra seats, while the min
ing municipalities have to content
themselves with the gallery. 1t Is
conceded that y representation on
ratio Is impossible; but the studied
and apparent purpose Of the Board to
ignore the West Side stands out ~
clear a. an army with banners. In
three counties west Of the Rocky
have one-fourth Of the
members Of both houses, while the
votes Of former years have shown .
muca greater proportion Of the popu'
lation Of the Territory in these coun-
tics. The election In these counties
two years ago should not lie taken -
int1icc. of their present population.
Elections held since that time have
amply shown the fatality Of any such
ls,sis of calculation. The Boarl
must have certainly known this fact.
It is q reasonable presumption, war.
rantcd by knowieslys Of the increase
in population within the past two
years, and which the returns from
his falls election will unquestiona-
bly, show, that the three West Side
with lseaverhcad, which Ia
loosely joined to them in y common
interest, now has fully one-hal! Of
lie population Of tile Territory.
These four counties have but little
more than 0me-!ourth Of the represent
a Ion in tine Legislature. |,
A special to the L"fer-''ccd" Of the
,ist says: Speculation as t. the sue
,~ss Of Secretary FOlger IL incre's-
ng hourly, but the names submitted
,rc narrowed down to Assistant Sec-
'ctary New and Representative
.rowley, Of New York. The story
= revived that ex-senator ConkliDg
: to I've invited into President Ar
bur's Cabinet rs Secretary Of State,
Mr.. Frelinghuysen. who Is
n,Okctl for Minister 10 England In
,!ace oi Mr.. Lowell. IL sucl, . case
Mr.. Crowley would bc out If tic
question as Secretary If the Treas
Try, and Mr.. News prospects would
,e considerably advanced. The lat
cr was asked hy your correspondent
o-.iay IL he had received any posi-
i've assurances from the President II,
he matter. lie replied that he had
,"t, aud xIni!ingly continued: "If
lie position r. rendered to me l shalt
lc.plh it OF course. ! would natur-
lily desire I" be Secretary instead Of
~ Assistant. bnt I have rot lnrn
u..ilisrJ it l,y the President"