The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-20
THE APPoRTIONMENT sWINDLE.

|
| Less than four months ago ageneral election
was held in Indiana, in which a total of 494,
| TIA votes was polled, of which pa, 900 were
cast for the Democratic presidential candi-
dates, being less than the opposition vote by
nearly 5000, or, to be accurate, by 1874.
This minority, by means of Democratic ger
rymander elected majority Of forty-six on
| joint ballot in the Legislature, and nine out
of thirteen congressman. But this does not
satisfy Democratic greed. With more than its
| just share already, it wants still more.
John E. Lamb, Of Terre Haute, chagrined
by his unexpected defeat, wants another and
better chance. Despairing of again carrying
the district once carried by him, he, through
his patron, Senator Voorhees,, demands that a
steal be perpetrated in his behalf. This is Pc
culiarly exasperating because of the fact that
the voters of the Eighth dlsuict have deliber-
ately repudiated Lamb after having once tried
him. The other district to be raped by the
| Democratic Legislature is the Eleventh-for
| the sole reason that the thing can be easily
accomplished, the Republican majority being
small. But even this is not enough,
and Democratic rapacity goes on to
| seize on more State senatorial and representa-
tive districts, in order to make sure of the
| election of Democratic United States sena-
tor two years hence, leaving the Republicans
but two congressman and no member of the
United States Senate.
1t is an open secret that this partisan scoun-
drelism is to be accomplished, by fair means
or foul The House has been dragooned into
its adoption, and it has been advanced step by
step by the meanest methods possible.
Debate has been prohibited, and the
majority has taken upon itself dicta-
torial powers. The bulldozing threat has been
repeated, and Democrats declare that this
measure must become law before any of the
appropriation bills are passed. The Repub-
lican minority reinforced by such Democratic
members as have not lost their sense of COM
mon honesty and honor, must meet this kind
of campaigning in the field chosen by those
who insist on a fight. Let the appropriation
bills be held in allegiance until this bill for the
theft of congressman and legislators be dis
posed of. If the Democratic majority sees fit to
again adjourn without providing for the States
expenses, the blame must rest upon them.
| !
of legislation that any fair-minded man cares
to see become law. The appropriation bill
club should no longer inspire terror. 1t is
a boomerang that must fall heaviest upon
/ those who WELD it,
The infamy proposed in practically dis
franchising a majority of the voters of In
diana should meet with unqualified condemna-
ton among honest men of all parties. Every
parliamentary advantage should be taken by
those who oppose this infamous scheme to
subvert the will of the people. Those in
favor of the bill are evidently ready for the
preparation of any trickery necessary to in.
sure its passage. 1t is as rascally piece OF
| partisan legislation as has ever been, under
taken in Indiana, and it's originators and ad-
vocates deserve the contempt of every honest
man. We do not doubt that the people of In
diana will express their indignation when they
come again to vote, but the scheme should
not be allowed to go that far. 1t ought to be
killed now, and its manipulators relegated to
the obscurity of well earned infamy.