Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-07-13
Aancaster f,,telligenrer.
FRIDAY EVENING. JULY ls. 1883.
The lSsue Made Ups

The Issue Made Up.
The Republican senators have an
nounced their unalterable resolution TO
make no concession to the Democrats in
the apportionment. What they offered
first, they offer last. Cooper for the
Stalwarts and Stewart for the Indepen-
dents were equally resolute in affirming
the Republican determination. Senator
Cooper declared that their purpose would
grow stronger every day they were kept
in session. Senator Stewart vowed that
they would never waver. Other Repuc'
licans declared that the SHOWS of winter
might come and 60 and find them still
refusing to approve any other congress
sional apportionment than the one pro
posed in the McCracken bill, or modify
ing in any way the other appor;ionment
bills which they have offered.
This then is the situation, and we are
delighted that it is SO plainly Defined.
After a failure to agree in the regular
session upon the apportionments COM
manded by the constitution the Leglsla
ture was recalled by the Democratic
governor to discharge this plain duty,
the Senate being Republican and the
House Democratic. The House has
offered to the Senate important conces-
sions of its views as to just apportion,
ments. The Senate has offered the
House none. 1t is now for the people
to decide which party is responsible for
the failure to obey the constitution.
1t has been suggested that the COVER
nor will reconvene the Legislature should
it adjourn without performing it's con
stitutional duty. The Republican sena
tors seemed to apprehend that this would
be the result of their cOntumacy. We
have no idea that the governor will do
anything of the kind. He has sufli
ciently discharged his duty in recalling
the Legislature once to discharge their
sworn duty. When they fail to do it he is
free from the responsibility. Neither as
governor nor as Democrat is it his duty
or his policy to 60 further in the effort
to have the constitution Obeyed. The
responsibility for the failure to obey is
fixed firmly ON the Legislature, and just
as firmly on the Republican side of it.
This will be readily seen when the
apportionment bills, upon which they
take their stand and which they declare
they will not vary from one ipta, are
compared with what they should be II
they give just representation to the
people then the Democrats will be con
demned for not accepting it; but II
their apportionment is unjust they
will lose their cause before the
people. Senator Stewart declares that
the constitution, while directing an
apportionment to he made, cannot coerce
a legislators conscience and leaves us
to infer that his conscience will not
approve anything but the McCracken
bill. Senator Stewart for some time has
been falling from grace, and now seems
to have acquired very hardened polit
ical conscience. A year ago he was a
devotee of justice. He conceived that
he bore it's banners, and that panOrlied
as he was, he would make an excellent
record at the close of the tournament
Whereas Senator Stewart made a very
poor one. He got remarkably few votes
He seems to have been SOured 10y the
unexpected revelation that it is not al
ways the man with pious intentions
upon whom the Lord smiles. He is no'
caring so much now for heavenly illum
ination. He is persuaded that he will
d, better by sticking to his party and
he sticks. He does we'll. Senator Stew
art is not as big man as he thought
himself. He is not cut out for great
ness. He will do better sailing close to
shore than in venturing out on the bil
lows. He gets sea sick too soon. 1t is
not the situation for a light headed and
weak, nervous and poor calculator
Mr.. Stewart evidently is not good al
figures. He showed this we'll enough
when he was counting up the votes ht
did not get and he shows it now ir
his failure to comprehend that the Nc
Cracken bill requires 10000 more Demo
Gratis than Republicans to elect Il con
gressman. We presume Mr.. Stewart
does not get these figures into his head
else he certainly would not insist that ii
was just tapportionment. His conscience
might let him do it, but would he bt
such Il fool as to deliberately go before
the people and declare it >?
AS Senator Wallace we'll said in tht
debate, "t the people want fairness. JUS
tice and equity" This broad thought
had actuated the Democratic side ant
they proposed to 60 before the people
with it. That is the issue and on the