Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-08-25
lancaster fnteutgencer.
SATURDAY EVENING. AUG. as. 1888
Impraeticsble Proposition.

An Impracttcable Proposition.
It has been proposed in the House at
Harrisburg and 1t viii! be urged in
that body for passage that the work OF
apportioning the state, which the Gen
eral Assembly thus far has failed to
perform, be delegated to a commission
of ten, consisting of Hons. Daniel AZ
new, James A. Beaver, Philip G. Gar
rett, d. NJ. Hoyt and Galusha A. Grow,
Republicans and Charles B. Bucka-
lew, Geo. A. jerks, Levi Maish, Geo. r.
Bser and Andrew II. Dill, Democrats.
It seems to be an open secret that 1t is
not expected the Republicans will &C.
cept and assent to this proposition. II
for no other reason they will reject 1t
because the FIVE Democratic commits
sioners proposed, while men Of the high.
est character and purest patriotism, are
unAinching and unquestioned Demo,
Gratis, while of the five Republicans
named four have of late been in an atti-
tude of more or less defiance to the reg.
ular party organization. 1t Is believed,
however, by some of the Democrats who
favor the proposition, that it is SO fair
that the rejection Of it by the Republi-
cans will make their case still worse
than It is now in public estimation, and
that after this offer has failed the House
can adjourn satisfied that it can offer
nothing further with the slightest hope
Of the Republicans accepting it.
II the constitution and the laws desig-
mated no particular authority to make
the apportionments such body as the
above named ten gentlemen would be
very fit one to district the state. They
would no doubt approach their duty
conscientiously and discharge it salts
factorily. But the constitution directs
the Legislature to make the apportlon-
ment, and the designation Of that body
for this task is as specific as the imposi-
tion of the duty is mandatory. 1t has
neither the power nor the right to dele
gate the duty to any outside body.
When it undertakes to do that it not
only transcends its duty, but it confesses
its own incapacity to discharge its con-
stitutional obligations and gives the
b,st possible reasons for its immediate
adjournment.
Such commission as that which has
bsen proposed, If it were practicable and
II it could be got to do the work con
t.mplated, would have TO make an ap
portionment either more or less favora
be to the Democrats than they have
already offered to the Senate. If it were
les 80 the representatives of the party
would not be justified in accepting and
endorsing the report, for they have al
ready gone to the very verge of undue
concession. If it were more liberal 10
the Democrats than the bills they have
already offered TO the Senate, and which
that body has rejected, they, the Repub-
licans, would not take their report, for
they have proclaimed and stood by their
ultimatum." Obviously, therefore,
such a commission would be fruitless.
Being unknown to the law and outside
Of the constitution, its work would be
binding upon nobody and no party would
accept it unless it was satisfied with it.
The Democrats Of this generation
have hal enough experience with com
missioners organized to do the work of
their representatives. The famous
electoral commission suffieed them
with that sort of experiments 1t
is true that the proposed apportionment
commission is evenly divided politically ;
if there is any advantage in its compost
tion 1t .is againss the regular Republi-
cans, and for that reason-whatever
better reason they may make their pre-
text-they will reject it. But however
constituted the proposition is extra
constitutional and un-Democratic. The
party at large has no patience with such
device. The House should waste no time
fooling with it. If it is offered in sin
cerity and With the hope that the Senate
will adopt it, it is a violent departure
from constitutional modes and sucr a
hope is fruitless. If it is not offered in
: sincerity it should not be offered at all.
The issue at Harrisburg is fully made
up. It needs no such device to illumi
nate it, and il there is no other hope
than this of Republican agreement to a
fair apportionment all such hope may as
we'll be finally dispelled.
Henri V.
His was a strange and conspicuous
A0uvo uuho hoo inst u0no to tho ro,lms