Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-07-21
lancaster Intelligence.
aATuRDAY EVENING, JULY a. I0os

la,,caster Intelligence.
SATURDAY EVENING. JULY al. iees.
A Sound Position.
Representative sharpe, Democrat, en-
phatically replies to the Senate's request
for adjournment because agreement on
the apportionments bills is impossible,
that such agreement is not impossible,
and that the Legislature must sit until
it is reached. Representative Ziegler,
Democrat, seconds this declaration with
equal fervor. and declares that no propo'
sition for adjournment will be reported
from the committee of which he is chair
man until the apportionment bills are
passed. The Democratic members OF
the House warmly applaud their
declarations. Representative Ster-
rett, Republican, declares that agree
ment upon the apportionment bills
can be reached with the exercise
of intelligence and a little wisdom; and
that he is not in favor of sdjournmentso SO
long as he has reason to believe that the
admitted duty to apportion the state can
be performed. His fellow Republicans
received his speech coldly; but the pro-
position to refer the Senate resolution
demanding adjournment to committee
of ways and means, with instructions to
report it back on Monday next, was
voted down by a large majority, and will
not see the light until, as the chairman
of the committee declared, the appor-
tionment business is done.
We are very glad that the Democratic
House has taken this firm stand. 1t
will be stoutly supported in it by the
sentiment of the party, and, we believe
also, by that of the state. There is
nothing better than good position
firmly maintained. The Democratic po-
sition that the constitutional duty to
apportion the state should be performed
by the Legislature, before adjourning, is
entirely impregnable. The Republican
position that adjournment should be had
because apportionment is impossible, is
manifestIy weak in its confession that
there is not enough wisdom in the Legis-
lature to enable it to do its duty. 1t is
a clearly false declaration. There
may be too much partisanship to
permit Just apportionment or perhaps
any at all. But such partisanship is
disgraceful to the Legislature and will
not be patiently witnessed by the people.
So long as it alone stands in the way OF
the apportionments it will not justify
adjournment. The good men of the two
bodies should be ready to sit until their
terms expire, year and a half hence,
before they admit by their adjournment
that they have not sufficient wisdom tc
do their constitutional duty,
The majority of the Senate desires to
make this admission the majority oil
the House declines it. The majority ol
the Senate being Republican, and con-
sequently content as party with the
present apportionments of the state, is
obviously open to the charge that it re
fused to reapportion the state because
its party will lose by it. The Democratic
House, OF course, is open to the accuse
tion that it refuses to agree to consent
to the maintenance of the existing ap
portionments because they would lose by
it. But the Democratic House has thi:
great advantage that in insisting upon d
new apportiOnment it insists upon wha
the constitution demands. And no ont
will deny that it is right to demand
just apportionment. 1t IS not its duty tt
consent to gross injustice to secure al
agreement with the Senate. Its duty
clearly is to insist upon appOrtionment'
80 readily shown to be fair to its Oppon
ents, that the sentiment of the people o
the state will be satisfied of the justic'
of its position. If they take this stant
the Democrats may safely sit in their seat
until the Republicans yield to them. AND
we hope that the DemocraticHOusei in de
termining to sit indefinitely until appor
tionments are made has also determined
that it will not he forced to agree t.
manifestly unjust apportionment bills
Tp kI,o nooooorotio roopo hor, nf tht