Daily Republican., 1884-02-01
More About Representation.

More About Representation.
The Smyrna Times refers to the re-
presentation OF the States i'll the United
States Senate as an argument that the
same principle should apply TO the re-
presentation of counties i'll the state
Senate. If our esteemed contemporary
can point to any State in the Union
where that principle of representation
Is applied to counties, we Will at once
saw M more and allow il the full bene-
fit nf its argument.
We are fully Aware that Delaware
with smaller population than any other
State in the Union, Nevada excepted,
has two United States Senators, while
New York, with the largest population
has but the same number, but We were
NOT aware Of any Clty IN the Union that
has an arbitrary representation OF a
certain number Of members in the
State Senate without deviation from that
number We are fully prepared To
endorse the State system Of representa-
ZION in the United States Senate, be-
cause TO the latter is impaired careful
duties and trusts that concern the
States as sovereign States and not a.
territorial domains.
BY reference 10 Pennsylvania 1t Wlh
be seen that representation III the SEN
ate is regulated entirely by districts
and population. In the rural section
several counties are grouped together. ~
form Il Senatorial district, care being
taken that each district shail oe as
nearly equal in population aS Is pos
sible
If our down State exchange would
take the trouble to inform itself, 1t
would find that the city OF Philadel-
phia has eight Senators, while the coun-
ties Of Montour, Columbia, Lycomlng
and Sullivan are grouped together IL
make one district, and that district has
only one Senator.
But New York is another State that
disproyes the theory of the Times. There
the same principle Of representation il
the Senate prevails as i'll Pennsylvania
For instance Out Of thirty-twO mem
bers, Of which the State Senate is com
posed, New York City has seven o.
them, and Brooklyn three. Thus, ou
Of fifty members OF the Senate in Penn
sylvania, Philadelphia and Pttsburg
the two larger cities, have twelve o
them, and Qua Of thirty-two Senators il
New York State, New York and Brook
Ign, the two larger cities, have ten o
them. If the Times means by reference
TO the representation of cities in thes'
States in the Senate that the sam
principle shall apply to the representa-
ton of Wilmington in the Senate o
Delaware, then We do feel most pro
foundly grateful to our down State con
temporary for going farther in thi
matter, and awarding to Wilmingto
more than her most ardent friends eve
claimed for her. In that respect repr'
sentation has never been claimed in tn
Senate by us farther than that intru,
ted by the Constitution, that is, that tn
representation in the Senate from on
county shall not exceed the numbc
from the other counties.
We would be perfectly COrftont wit
that, for while Kent and Sussex COun
ties would have eight Senators, Ney
Castle could also constitutionally hav
eight-tour in the rural districts an
four in Wilmington.
As the Times seems cleverly incline
to what is right in this matter, we hart
ly think it would object to the repre-
sentatiOn indicated 1t is all nOnsens
to talk about equitable representation
in legislative body regulated b
territory.
If this were the rule then Suisse,
should have at least one more Senate
than kent, and New Castle the same a
Kent. though the latter has fractio
more territory.
Though Mr.. Bates bill, first intro
duCed into the late Legislature met on
approval as far as representation accord
ing TO population was concerned, W
were not enthusiastic in it's behalf. bf
cause it did not provide for district reI
reseutatjon. This princiUle we lOO
upon as the correct one, though on
district NAV have a considerable fra
tiou over and another district a. large
fraction less than what might be r,
uuired 70 insure equal representatio
,c,,rJi,,, :, nu,,L.r.