The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-11-19
RATIO OF REPRESENTATION.
Figures Showing that the Republican vot
Il Not SUPPRESSED in the South.

Figures Showing that the Republican Vote
Il Not Suppressed in the South.
/. It is fact that 80, sci votes elected
two representatives from Republican
Rhode Island. while it took "a, 1876 to
elect two members from Democratic
Missouri.
2. 1t is fact that 178, GAL votes were
polled to elect five Congressman from
Minnesota, while $1,000 sufficed to
elect five of their New England col
leagues.
8. It took 66.655 votes to elect one
Congressman from Colorado, but less
than half that number elected two Re-
publican Representatives from Rhode
Island.
The Graphic might multiply these il
lustrations through a column of its
space, but glance at any compendium
Of election statistics will show that the
votes for Congressman vary all over
the country according to local circum-
stances, although the districts are ap-
portioned so as to embrace approx
mately equal populations. Thus an ag-
gregate of 1900 votes elected in the
Third Connecticut District and a, 600
in the Fourth. An aggregate ballot of
! %, 600 suficed to send Congressman
Burleigh to Washington from our own
State, while no less than 10000 were
recorded to confirm the title of Hon.
Perry Belmont One Republican vote
| in Rhode Island counts for as much as
two Democratic votes in Delaware. 1t
1876, 900 ballots elected seven Repre-
sentatives in New York, it is also true
that $4,000 elected only, six Repre-
sentatives in Maryland.
1t is therefore very clear that the ratio
of representation, if gauged by the
votes actually cast, is variable and
erratic one all over the country. Some
would pronounce it foolish and un-
just one. But the explanation is simple:
In some places a large percentage
of the total vote is brought out-in
others only small percentage. State
laws, restrictive qualifications, poll
taxes, long distances and lack of organ
ization contribute in various degrees to
affect the result. Massachusetts, levies
a poll tax. Rhode Island disfranchises
every foreign-born citizen who is not an
owner of real estate. Some of the
Southern States levy poll tax, and in
the majority of them the Republican
party has been disorganized and apa
thetic since the downfall of carpet-bas
rule. In Alabama, for example, two
Congressional districts were uncontest
ed BY any Republican. In Georgis
several districts had no Republican can
didates and the total Republican Con
gressional vote was only %, 617 agains
4e,O63 for Blaine. In those Southern
States where the Republicans are or
ganized and aggressive the Congress
sional vote is large, as in Florida
Maryland. Missouri. Virginia and Wes
Virginia. Only one Louisiana distric
was energetically contested. and there
the notorious William Pitt Kellogg wa
defeated in an aggregate vote of 10000
Coming to the case of South Carolina
we find that the Republicans made nj
resolute struggle except in the Seventh
District, and there the colored maj
Smalls defeated his Democratic antag
onist by S,419 to 1854. That Soutl
Carolina took but feeble interest il
last years election is clearly indicated
by her total vote of p. 73S fer Blain,
and $3.50 for Cleveland, as agains
58,O71 for Garfield and 1882 fo
, Hancock in 1880 The result wa
looked upon as foregone conclusion
and the vote of neither party wa
brought out by agitation and organiza
ton.
1t is not denied that in times past in
timidation and coercion have beel
practiced in some Southern States, ex
asperated beyond endurance as the.
were by the enormities of carpetba;
and scalawag rule. But that era ha
passed away, and the comparativ
paucity of the Republican vote in Sout
/, Carolina or Georgia is no more proof O
: bulldozing to-day than is the vote Q
Massachusetts, or Rhode Island. If Mi
/ John Sherman desires to apportiol
representation in Congress on the vot
actually cast instead of on the Const
tutional basis of population he is we
= : come to make the attempt Then,
be consistent, we must make new ap
: portionment every alternate year. H
should remember, however, that tn
. Republican vote in the South is no,
far larger than it ever was in tn
. palmy days of Republican bayone
l rule.-M r. Graphic.