Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-01-31
lancaster fntelligerrsr.
WEDNESDAY EVENING, JAN. 81, 1893
Figuring on ApportiOnment.

Figuring on ApportiOnmeDt.
There are apportionments and appor-
tionments. And there will be diversity
of opinion on this subject until both
Houses of the Legislature have agreed
upon bill and the governor has signed
it. Even then it is not likely that it
will be satisfactory to everybody, nor en-
tirely satisfactory to anybody. For too
many politicians and statesmen approach
the making of an apportionment with
spirit, first, of carving out district for
themselves at the expense of every other
consideration; and, secondly, to make
as many districts as possible for
their party. The first consideration
is one that should have no weight with
the members Of the Legislature the
idea of giving each party in the state
proportion of congressman based on its
share of the popular vote is just one
and approximation to it should have
general consideration in the districting
of the state for congressional purposes.
1t is impossible to determine upon this
with certainty, for nearly One-third of
the districts in this state will always
be more or less uncertain; and often
strained efforts to effect a gerry
mander recoil upon themselves and
defeat their own purpose. Thus it hap
pened to the Republicans in this state
ia 1874, to the Democrats in Ohio and
to the opposition in Indiana of later
dates. In short, gerrymanderS never pay
the party responsible for them.
In making apportionments. besides this
general regard for political fairness in
the results. the integrity of counties
should be preserved, if possible, as well
as the equality of ratios, identity of in
terest in the counties put together, COM
pactness and contiguity OF territory in
districts thus made {; natural bOunda
rieS should be respected, and, as far as
avoidable and consistent, existing dis
tricts should not be disturbed ; and where
deficiencies ard surplusage are inevit-
able the surplus of a ratio should rather
be cast into the large cities. with sew.
eral congressmen, and the shortage al
lowed to the country districts, especially
those made up of several counties.
Several apportionments have been sug
.ested for the consideration of the pres
ent Legislature. One of these. cOmmun-
icated to the Philadelphia Times. was
especially faulty in that it aimed eAclu-
sively al almos. exact equality OF popu-
la,ion in the several districts, manglin.
counties AMI grouping together the most
i!!-fashioned and discordant districts
10 accomplish this. Three bills have
been introduced into the House, one by
Mr.. Davis, Dean. )of Forest, one by Mr..
Nicholson. Dem of jefferson. and the
other by Mr.. PARCELS. lDem.l, Of Mif-
fin, none of which iS understood to be
the bill agreed upon by the party of its
putative author, and none of which, t.
our mind, exactly complies with the re
qulrements of bill framed upon The
considerations we have suggested.
1t is of course, easier to critl
else an apportionment than tC
construct one; as will be readily
appreciated by any one who takes the
census table and map and tries to make
an superintendent that will be shapely
and fair. The propositions of Messrs
Davis and Nicholson agree in giving
Philadelphia five members, as at present
and there is no substantial objection to
this number, for, though each of the
districts may contain more than a ratio,
it will be conceded that the city,
which has not the variety of in.
terests of a rural district-wiih
great expanse Of territory and
agricultural, mining, manufacturing
and commercial population-is amply
represented by five representatives. This
idea was recognized by the new consti
tuition, which never allows Philadelphia
to have over one sixth of the whole mum
Der of state senators. For the same
reason Allegheny county, so largel,
made up of Pittsburgh and contiguou:
cities, should get along with two con
gressmen. This being settled, certain
other things are plain enough-such a:
that Chester and Delaware, Bucks ant
Montgomery. Erie and Crawford, York
Adams and Cumberland, are naturally
adapted for combinations in districts
that Lancaster, though lacking some
what of a ratio, ought not t
be divided or have any part O.
any other county attached to it
OF the other large single counties, Lu
zerne, Schuylkill and BerkS all fall be
low ratio, and if the Republicans will
not consent to making them single dis
tricts, the contiguous counties Of Colum.
bia, Carbon and Lebanon, respectively
furnish the material to make districts
that will have community of interest. The
counties of Franklin, Fulton. Hunting
don and the three counties of the Ju.
niata Valley, make far more shapely
district than the Eighteenth as now con-
stituted and it is doubtful whether the
Seventeenth, consisting of Cambria.
Blair. Bedford and Somerset, can he
improved upon. 1t might facilitate mat
ters of members of the Legislature if
opposing parties would try and ascertain,
first of all, how much of an apportiOn-
ment they can agree upon. The districts
of disagreement would then he more
easily arranged.