Wichita eagle., 1889-10-26
THE DILEMA OF KANSAS-A NEW
CONSTITUTION DEMANDED.

The EAGLE some time since expressed
the opinion that the only way out of
many of the difficulties now confronting
Kansas and her people was new con-
stitution, in which several matters were
touched upon. Two or three times in
the past few years the state senate passed
the necessary resolution for the calling
of such convention but in each instance
the house failed to sustain the action. A
correspondent of the Globe-Democrar
from Topeka, takes up the question in
the following light:
sit is a matter which is not much
talked about but it is the object of no lit
tie uneasiness on the part of many men
in the older parts of our state" said a
we'll known citizen of Kansas not long
since, land that is the matter of repre-
sentation in the lower branch of the leg
isIature of our state. Kansas was child
when the essential features OF the pres
ent constitution We're adopted. Today
Kansas, in population, shows up in the
upper half of the states when they are
classified on population. Consequently
a convention should be called
but while the legislature
pie, propositions to submit the question
of calling convention to revise the
whole constitution and submit its work
to the people fail to receive the necessary
two-thirds of both branches"
'Are the friends of prohibition afraid
to submit that question to the people in a
he
who was listening to the Kansas states
man.
By no MEANS" was the reply: "the
rural vote is for prohibition and can
overwhelm the vote of the larger cities. !"
'The constitution of Kansas" he pro-
ceeded to explain, provides that every
county shall have one member in the
lower branch of the legislature. When
it was adopted in 1851 there were thirty
odd counties. AS the number of men,
bers was fixed at 1875, the provision was
a good one for that time. Now there are
more than 110counties, whose population
runs from 1000 or less to $4,000. After
all of the counties have their one MEM
Der there will be about fifteen to divide
among the larger or more populOus
counties ON the basis of population.
Forty-one counties comprising the west
ern third of the territory of the state
showed an aggregate population of about
$50. 900 by the last count. On the basis
of population these counties would have
one representative for less than 4 200 in
habitants while the 100000 people in
the rest of the state would have one rep
resentative for nearly $4,000 inhabitants.
Only a dozen counties can have more
than one representative, while the great
bulk of the bounties having a population
ranging from %, 900 to 50, 900 will have
but one.
adding to the small counties above
noted, twenty five having the smallest
population after them, and it will be
found that sixty-six counties having not
over one-third of the total population OF
the state will have sixty-six of the one
hundred and twenty-five members of
the lower house. while the rest of the
state will have but fifty nine. This
state of things naturally arrays the
western portion of the state, which is
sparsely settled and poor, against the
eastern portion. And there appears to
be no help for this, since proposition TO
call a convention to revise the constitu
ton has failed to receive the necessary
two-thirds in the lower house of the last
two legislatures. Those VINO are familiar
with the matter know that members of
the last house gave as their reason for
opposing the resolution for convention
the fact that these sections would be de-
prived of the great advantage the pres
ent constitution conferred upon them In
the matter of representation.
Has this matter been discussed By
the papers or brought TO the attention Of
the public?'
Il have seen references to 1t in one or
two papers, but for some cause there has
been no such presentation OF the case as
would call public attention to 1t. II
is known, doubtless, TO most of those
who take an interest in public affairs.
but there seems to be feeling that
nothing can be gained by making il
prominent by public discussion. 1t was
hoped by men in the eastern part of the
state before the adjournment of the last
legislature that the proposition for con-
stltunonal convention could be carried.
but that project having been defeated,
the matter seems to have been dropped
Nevertheless, brief conversations upon
state affairs with prominent men are
sufficient to show that they regard the
next apportionment of representatives
with no little concern. Indeed. the de-
priving of such counties as Atchison,
Leavenworth. Douglas, Shawnee and
Wyandotte of half or two-thIrds OF their
present representation IN the house.
which is now inadequate upon the basis
of population, can NOT fail to be mat
ter OF deep concern.
When Caldwell gets her sugar mills, car