The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-25
AN APPEAL FOR HONESTY.
A Strong Presentation of the Wrongs of
an Infamous Political Measure.
Major Charles L. Holstein's Speech at Bright
wood Last Evening on the Democratic Ger
rymander-Brief Talk by A. c. Harris.


The Republican meeting held in the school
house at Brightwood last night was, in character
and spirit, very gratifying one Mr. Joseph
Boswell presided, and a brief speech by
Hon. A c. Harris, the Republican can
didate for Congress, opened the meet
ing. In his remarks he discussed
the tariff and the Democratic record in
civil-service and soldiers pensions. He advoca-
ted the protection of american labor, and said
that he thought that the tariff on goods manu-
featured in this country should be sufficiently
high TO prevent American workingmen from be-
ing reduced to the pauper wage level of Euro
pean laborers. On the raw material used in
manufacturing he favored reduction of the
tariff In speaking of the Democratic
referred to Barney Conroy. who had been in
Jail eleven times on criminal charges and was
appointed to Office on the recommendation of
Congressman Bynum, as specimen of the ad-
ministration's reform. He spoke of the 11,000
soldiers who are in asylums and poor-houses
and declared that if he should be elected he
would work to secure pensions for them and to
make proper provision for their support. The
speech, which occupied but few moments of
time, was well received Major Chas. l.. Ho-
stein followed Mr. Harris. In speaking of the
Democratic gerrymander he said:
Fair play is an American characteristics Political
equality is the cornerstone of system of govern
ment. Political equality requires that your vote
my vote shall be good, and count as much as the
vote of any other citizen whoever he may be- Polit
cal equality requires that every voter shall have the
right to vote and to have that vote counted and
that voter shave have any more greater power.
To the disgrace of the Democratic party, be it said
this principle does not obtain in Indiana to-day. The
Democratic gerrymander of 1885 is the most infam
Gus political measure ever enacted north of Mason
and Dixon line. 1t practically and absolutely dis
franchises thousands of voters. The late Vicepres
tionment of 1872, at the Democratic convention of
1873, said: Republicans, if you be honest men,
walk up to the chalk and toe the
mark, and look honest in the
face, if you can, and say that that
is fair. Or if you can't look an honest man in the
face and say that it is fair to the county jail and
the apportonment of 1872 the Democratic party
carried the Legislature in 1874 which elected the
Hon Joseph E. Mcdonald United States Senator; and
the Legislature of 1876, we'll, which elected the
Hon. ID. W. Voorhees, United States Senator And
under that apportionment the Democrats elected
more than once majority of the Congressman in In
diana In the light OF these facts it cannot well be
claimed that the Republican apportonment of 1872
was agerrymander. Facts are stubborn things, and
Democratic denunciations of the Republican appor
tionmen OF 1872 have no basis of truth on which to
rest. Such denuncations, however bitter, cannot d
vert public attention from the Democratic gerrymander
of 1885.
Our General Assembly is composed of $50 members
so Senators and 100 Representatives. The Consti
tuition provides that every six years enumeration
shall be made of the male inhabitants of the State
above twentyone years of age and that the members
of the General Assembly shall be apportioned among
the several counties, according to this enumeration
and that all legislative districts including than
county shall be composed of contiguous counties
The last enumeration was made in 1888, and showed
total of 494 $50 male inhabitants above twentyone
years of age in the State Accordingly, each Senator
should represent, as near may be, 3. 1913 voters
and each Representative 1916 voters. The vote Of
Indiana in 1884 was:
Blaine OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. .23S 4SO
Butler ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1928
ot 0ohE ..-----.--....-..--..-.-- oozo
You will notice that the vote is very nearly evenly
divided between the Republican and Democratic par
ties--the Democrats polling in round numbers only
5000 more votes than the Republicans. Repub-
ican is entitled to much representation Dem
ocrat According to that principle, upon the vote of
1884 the Republicans should have nearly if not quite
many Senators the Democrats, the Democratic
majority the Republican vote being considerably
less than the number required for Senator accord
ing to the last enumeration According to the vote of
1884 the Republicans are entitled, upon fair appor
tionment to twenty Senator's and the Democrats
to twentysix and even upon such apportonment
an advantage is given the Democrats Yet by the
Democratic gerrymander of 1885, the Republicans
are given only sixteen Senators. and the Democrats
take thirty-four-that is it requires IA 905 Repub
cans to elect Senator, while POS Democrats elect
a Democratic Senator. In other words-n senatorial
representation one Democrat is equal to two Repub
hcans.
So, too according to the vote of 1884 the Repub-
cans entitled to nearly many Representatives
the Democrat the Democratic majority over the
Republicans being only little more than the number
required to elect Representative, under the
enumeration of 1888 An apportionment which
would give the Republicans forty eight Representa-
tives and the Democrats ffty-two would be just, &C
cording to the last vote and enumeration giving
slight advantage the Democrats. Yet according to
the Democratic gerrymander. the Republicans al
lowed thirty nine Representatives and the Democrats
take sixty onethat is it requires g. ia Republicans
to elect Representative and only DIG Democrats.
The congressional apportionment is equally out
rageous. Indianais allowed thirteen congressman
that is for each SO O61 votes. According to the
vote of 1884, fair congressional apportionment
would give the Republicans six Congressman and the
Democrats seven. Yet, according to the Democratic
gerrymander, the Republicans arc given three Con-
gressmen and the Democrats take ten. In short, in
Indiana "a 499 Democrats elect Congressman while
it requires 70 493 Republican to elect one. In
the congressional apportionment under the Demo-
cratic ger1 ymander, Democrat is equal to three
Republicans.
Adapting the language of Mr.. Hendricks to the
be honest walk up to the chalk and toe the mark
and look honest in the face and say that that
is fair. Or if you can't look an honest man in the
face and say it is fam go to the county jail and look
a thief in the face and say it is fair
My fellow-citzens had hoped that this crime was
uncommon and exceptional and that the Democratic
politicians of Indiana stood alone in the commission
of IT, but Twas startled to ind upon examination that
this thing had grown into fixed Democratic policy,
ocratie State in the country. ask your careful at
tenton to the following table of the vote of 1854 and
the congressional representation under it,
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