Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-06-27
APPORTIONMENTS.
How the Different Bills Stand as
Regards Butler County.

Regards Butler county.
The Legislature re-assembled last
week. Much of the first two or three
days was spent in debating as to
whether the members should draw pay
for the time during their recess, some
twelve days. This doubtless is an i'm
portant question to some of the mem
bers, but the public opinion would be
that that question might at least have
been deferred until they had done the
work for which they were convened.
As far as we can learn the different
Apportionment bills are in about the
following condition, so far as they re-
late to our county, and we speak of
them only with reference to our
county.
First, as to the Judiciary district,
both the House and Senate bills con-
stitute Butler county separate Judi
cial district; the only difference being
that to which we referred last week.
The House bill joins Lawrence and
Beaver counties for district hereafter,
and the Senate bill makes each Of
those counties separate districts.
The House bill provides for the con-
tinuance of the Additional Law Judge
in this and similar old districts, as elect
ed in 1874, during their inexpired terms
and as at present existing.
Second, as to the Congressional dis
tricts, in which it is proposed to place
our county. The original House bill
joined us with Armstrong and Indiana
counties for district. Both Mr..
Ziegler and Mr.. Greer, as far as we
can learn, were opposed to this arrange.
meDt. A new bill is therefore now be-
fore the House which connects us with
Armstrong, Clarion and Jefferson
counties-this is, we presume, favored
by Mr.. Ziegler, and will be unfavor-
ably looked upon by Mr.. Greer and
Mr.. Donly. The Democrats speak of
it as doubtful district, politically,
but to our mind it is pretty clearly
Democratic district, judging from the
past. True it might be car
ried by a strong and good
Republican over weak or bad Demo-
cratic candidate. In the Garfield -Har-
cock election of 1880, the only one that
can afford US any satisfactory basis of
calculation, the Hancock electors had
464 votes more than the Garfield elec-
tors. Clarion county gave Hancock a
clean 1900 majority while Armstrong
gave Garfield 1870; Butler sol, and
Jefferson lis, majorities for Garfield !;
making in all I436, to Clarion's 1900,
and thus leaving the above AGA differ
ence. Previous elections have shown,
however, that it is district in which
personal popularity has overcame party
lines, at least in most of the counties
that would compose this proposed dis
trict, and as we have said, a Republi-
can might possibly be elected in it.
But there is one other objection to it,
and that is, the population of those
four counties exceed by 15,435 the
necessary population for a present dis
trict. The present ratio of population
for district is a little less than 1884,
600. These four counties count UP
168, 435 of a population, thus showing
more than Is, 900 of an excess, or more
than required for present district.
The Senate Congressional bill, called
the McCracken bill, joins our county by
a strip of the western side of Allegh-
eny county, to Washington county, for
a district. We have not been favored
by any of our members with copy OF
this bill, but from the papers learn that
is the connection made for our county.
1t is very unshapely and unnatural
district, making the principal objection
to it the want of compact and con-
tiguous territory, as near as may be, y
and as plainly demanded by the constitu
tion. There is nothing but absolute
necessity can justify the formation of
such a district. Butler couDty's natu-
raj position is north of the Ohio river
and not south of it, And it is known
that it is not out of any consideration for
Butler county that it proposed TO thus
join us, but out of consideration and for
the benefit alone of Washington county.
This is asking too much from this coun-