Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-07-30
aancaster fntelligetlcer.
MONDAY EVENING, JULY 80. 1888.
Follow the Constitution.

Follow the Constitution.
If they find anything of doubtful con-
stitutionality in the judiciary apportion-
meut bill, we should think that at least
the Democratic members of the Legisla
ture would withhold their support from
it, not only because in truth their duty
is to observe and obey the constitution,
but because their inclination will natur'
ally be to harmonic their action with
the opinion which Governor Pattison has
30 often and 50 explicitly declared
that all legislation should be strictly
conformed to the constitution.
The governor has so frequently anu
so sharply raped the Legislature over
the knuckles for its failure to follow the
constitution, that one would think that
it would heed the lesson, and not again
send to I,im, with the expectation of his
approval, bills of doubtful constitution
ality in any of their sections. The people
have 81 warmly approved the governor's g
course in gauging all legislation
by the constitution, and vetoing
what is found discordant with
it, that the Legislature should have
no difficulty in understanding that
the people at least understand the Con
stitution to be in fact, what it is in fancy,
the fundamental law Of the state, change
able by themselves only and not altera-
bic by the Assembly.
Especially at this time when the Re-
publican journals are SO eager to discover
and publish differences of all imagina
BILE kinds between the governor
aud his party, it will lie prudent
in its representatives at Harrisburg
not to furnish an opportunity to the
enemies of our party to gleefully claim
that they are not in unison with the gov
ernor in his devotion to the constitution.
Whenever, il ever, he takes a wrong
position, and one in which public senti
ment will not sustain him, then tie
Democrats of the Legislature may and
should take issue with him but Ger
tainly not when he occupies so strong
and unmist akable position as he has as
sumed in undei taking to defend tie
constitution and TO strike down every
attempt of political friend or foe 10
avoid its mandates and restrictions.
We understand Governor Pattlson to
have SO distinctly and firmly taken his
position in favor of strictly constituting
and obrying the constitution that tie
only thing left for the Democratic mem
bers of the Legislature, in seeking to
maintain their harmony with him and
their duty to the party, is to consider
whether or no amy of the provisions in
the judiciary apportionment bill, which
they are now considering, are uncOn l.
stitutiOnal, or even of doubtful constitu
tiOnality. They must not leave it open
to Our poIi.ica! opponents to call out
"see these Pharisees and lIyp0crites,
who prate Of the constitution until it
treads upon their own toes, and then cry
away with it," Nor should the Demo
Gratis in the Legislature incline to tempt
the governor OF their party to approve az
unconstitutional appOrtiOnment, which
some Democratic partisans may desire
to he approved for their own and their
friends profit but they should rather
seek to strengthen his purpose 10
pursue course which has gained him
public commentator.
Now, is there not good reason to doubt
the cOnstitutionality Of some of the pro
visions Of the judiciary apportionment
bill ? Can it indeed be denied, with any
show of grace or decency of face, that
the section which makes Beaver county
a separate district is unconstitutional,
when Beaver had by the census of 1880
less than 10000 population and when the
constitution says that no separate dis
trict shall have less than 10000? It de.
clares, further, that new apportion
ment shall be made after each decennial
census, and means, of course, that it
shall be based on that census; for, in
deed. there is nothing else to base it OH
And then the constitution provides for
combining counties under 40 600
population in convenient" dis
tricts. Can the members of the
Legislature and the governor con
scientiously say, with fair expecta
tiOn of having their judgment approved
by the people, that in putting together
Fulton and Adams counties that are
separ; ted 10y the whole breadth of the
large county Of Franklin, 10y ranges of
mountains, and without direct railway
Communication, they are making a
convenient district ?" Or can they say
that it is g. necessary"to attach" IA
small county of less than &C. 600 popuIa
IiOn to another district, and thus risk
its loss of the right to vote for its judge
and endanger, too, the turning loose of
judges in attached" counties &hfn
the district to which they are attached
refuses to let the judge come in with the
county as it has a right to do The
state can be readily districted into
" convenient" districts of contiguous
counties and without attaching"
counties which the constitution only
authorizes to be done when necessary"
and if so, to otherwise district the state
is unconstitutional.
THE interesting story of Dorsey's own
revelations to a Chicago Herald reporter,
which was reprinted in these columns on
Saturday, is supplemented with addi-
tiOnal comments Of that eminent statoS