Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-08-03


from the northern part of Indiana who
called on him Friday, Gen. Harrison said
"You are proud of the State in which
you dwell proud of her institutions of
learning, proud Of ner great benevolent
institutions, which | notice by one of
those banners you have pledged your
selves to protect from party spOnatiOn
and DEGRADATION. But while we have
much that is cause for congratulations. we
are not enjoying that full equality of civil
rights in the State Of Indiana to which we
are entitled Our gOV@nment IS u repre-
sentative government Delegates in Con
grssS audmembels of our State Senate and
House OF Representatives are apDOrtiOned
to di -tricts, ana the national and State
constitutions contemplate that these dis
tricts snail be equal, so that as far as
possible each citizen shall nave in his dis
trlct, the same potency in chOOting mem
Der of Congress or OF our State Legisla-
ture as is exercised by a voter in any
other district. We do not to-day have
that condition of things. The appOrton
ment Of our State tor legislative and con
gressiJnal purposes is unfair, and is
known to be unfair to all men.
No candid democrat can defend it us
a lar apportionmeut 1t was framed to be
unequal it was designed to give to The
citizens of favored districts an undue in
tiueuce. 1t was intended to d scriminate
against republicans 1t is not right that ii
should be- so. hope the time rs coming,
aud has even now arrived, when the great
sense Of justice which possesses our people
VIII teacn men of ali parties that party
success Is not to be promoted at the eX-
peuse OF an Injustice to any of our citizens.
Applause These things take hold OF
Government. If we would maintain that
respect for the law which Is necessary to
social order, our people must understand
that each voter has mis- full aud equal in
Il al al
BE-. hope this question will not be for
gotten by our people until we have secured
III ludlauA talr appOrtlOnment for leglS
tive and congressional purposes, lCheers.
When the republicans shall secure the
power OF Waklng an appOrtloument, hope
and believe that the experiment of seeking
a party advantage by public injustice
Will not he repeated IGreaJ applause and
cries of Good, goodp'l There are some
other questions affecting suffrage to one
of which my attention mas, from circum-
stances, been particularly attracted.
"rhere are in the Northwest several
Territories, organized under public law
with d, fined boundaries. They have been
| filled mp with the very elect of our citizens,
the brave, the euterprsng, aud the iutel-
hgent young men from all the States.
| Many OF the veterans of the late war have
sought under our beueticleut homestead
law new homes in the West. Several of
these Territories nave been for years pos
stssed OF population, wealth, and all the
! requisites for admission a. states. When
| the Territory OF Indiana took the census
which was the basis OF IFS petition fol ad
mission into the Union, we mad less than
| "a . . people we had only Is organized
counties. In the Territory OF South
| Dtko.a there are nearly half mil
hon people. For years they have
| been knocking for admission to the
slsterhoOd Of States. They are possessed
OF all the elements Of an organized and
stable community. It has more people,
more miles OF railroad more postolIices,
more churches, more banks, more wealth
than any Territory ever possessed when
| it was admitted to the Union. 1t surpisses
| some Of the states in these particulars.
| Four years ago. when president was to
| he chosen, the committee on Territories
in the Senate, to meet the objection, OF