Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1883-06-28
Responsibility will Follow.

That it did it in contempt Of the oaths
of the members to support and defend
the constitution of the statc--that act
ing under the instructions of the Boss
to defeat the passage ola fair appor-
tioument bill, and thus perpctuate Il
shameless gerrymander fraud upon the
state, by which he again hopes to be
reelected to the Senate Of the United
4 Statcs-that after instructing his satel.
litcs and lieutenants, he hicd away to
Europe to escape personal responsible
| ty. This is the true inwardness of the
stalwart action in the senate, and they
need not hope that the people of Penn
sylvania will be so blind as not to COM
| prehcnd it, or fail to hold them to n
Just accountability. While rejecting
upon this dclcctable programme, the
| people should also compare the appor.
tionment bills presented in each house
with the number of votes polled by
each party at the last Presidential
election, which was 44i,7Ol for Gar
field, and 4O7 ,52S for Hancock to de.
termine the approximate ratio Of repre-.
sentation due to each. Turn and tor
ture these figures As we may, it will be
impossible to arrive at an hone con-
clusion that the Republicans shall
elect with any degree of fairness IA
member OF Congress by $4,000 votes,
while at the same time it requires 5S,-
600 Democratic votes TO elect one, as
provided by the Senate bill. 1t Is on
this basis that the Republicans claim
Is representatives in Congress and
yield : to the Democrats, leaving two
districts in doubt, with Republican
chances in the lead. This is the kind
OF fairness the Republican Senate
offered to the Democratic house at the
late session. 1t is their ultimatum
now, and why? They know that it
cannot be accepted aud hence they de.
feat the passage Of an apportioument
bill to fall back upon the Infamous
gcrrymander act 10y which they have
dominated the state heretofore.
The Senate's bill apportioning the
Senator'S and Representatives, stands
about in the same proportion to the
Congressional bill, and both may be
characterized as bills Of fraud, and
the unmitigatcd -couudrclism of ma.
chine politics. Can, or will honest
| people justify or applaud such lcgis.
lation when the Constitution of the
state makes the duty imperative
and mandatory upon the present leg.
islature to pass fair, jusi and equal ap.
portionment bills? 1t is matter of
[ plain arithmetic and there should be
no difficulty in arriving at Il just con,
clusion in n days time, ifmembers will
be honest and act up to their constitu-
tional obligations instead of seeking
an unlawful advantage which the fig.
ures will not justify.
The following brief statement of the
controlling figures which we clip from
the Patriot, will enable any one to de-
termine for himself what fair, hon.
est apportionment ought to be, both as
to Congressional and Senatorial dis.
tricts:
If s52,132 voters are entitled to
twenty-eight congressional districts
then 407 ,22S voters are entitled to
thirteen congressional districts.
IfS52,132 voters are entitled to on
ly twenty-eight congressional districts,
then 444 ,704 voters are entitled to on.
ly fifteen districts.
In the same proportion 4I4,70i vo-
tors are entitled to but twenty.six
senatorial districts and 407 ,704 voters
to but twenty-four senatorial districts
Shall this problem in the easy and
fundamental single rule Of three be
solved by thelegislature or shall it be
submitted to the people at the next
election ?
OSE evening last week a catamount