The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-06

Fourth congressional district consisted of the
counties of Jefferson, Ripley, Decatur,
Rush, Franklin. Union, Dearborn, Ohio
and Switzerland. Six Of these nine
counties are Republican; together they cast O. to-
tai Republican vote of between $4,000 and 49,
000 yet these counties have been so doctored by
combining them with Democratic counties with
in and without the district that they will not
send a single representative to the State Senate.
The Republican majority OF Union county is
swept away by combining it with Franklin and
Riply. The Republican maiorities in Ohio and
Switzerland are neutralized by the Democratic
vote or Dearborn county. In order to
defeat the Republican majority in Jefferson
county, the Democrats connect it with
the county of Clark, with which it has scarcely
any territorial eontiguitv Decatur is in like
manner joined with Shelby, and Rush with Han
cock. Thus this entire Republican vote of six
counties is disfranchised. The Democratic eoun-
ty Of Clark is made to do double duty in voting
for two senators and two representatives. 1t is
joined with Scott and Jennings for senator so as
to overcome the Republican majority in Jen-
nings, and with Floyd and Jeffersop for represent
alive to overcome the Republican majority in JEFF
ferson. Brown county, with voting population
of less than 2 500, also aids in electng two sena-
tors in order to defeat the Republican maiorities
in Monroe aud Morgan, respectively Marion
county, which is Probably Republican, as was
shown III the last election for Governor, IS de-
priyed of its proper proportional representation
of three senators and six representatives, and is
compelled to share one senator and representa-
tive with Hancock ard Shelby, both Democratic
sanen Of P hs sase The Of s
county of Hancock is much overworked,
having the right to vote for two senators and
two representatives, although its voting popula-
ton is barely more than 1000, while Wayne
county, with 10, 600 votes for one senator only.
Clinton county also does double service for the
Democratic party in the same manner, and Yer
million, which has hitherto had one representa-
tive of its own. is now compelled to share with
Vigo and Sullivan the honor of electing one rep
resentative, it being necessary to go through
Vigo to Sullivan for the sufficient Demo
cratic majority to neutralize the Republican
vote of Vermillion. The Republican majority of
Lawrence is DISTINGUISHED by combining it with
Jackson for senatorial purposes and with Orange
and Dubois for the election OF single repre-
sentative. The floating representative between
Kosciusko and Wabash is taken away, and given
to Cass and Miami, which have less population,
simply because these counties happen to be Dem
acratic.
''The act ought to be entitled, An act to dis
franchise Republican voters in the counties Of
Jefferson, Union, Rush, Noble, Greene, Yer
million, Lawrence, Jennings, Tippecanoe Kosci-
usko, Wabash, Marion, Decatur, Ohio, Switzer-
land and other counties. to give to the Demo
cratic voters in the counties of Brown, Clark,
Hancock, Clinton, Boone and others double
representation