New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-16
CONGRESSIONAL APPORTIONMENT

CONGRESSIONAL APPOR1IONMINI.
The Democratic journals and leaders in ONO
are openly discussing a gerrymander' by "hlon
a minority of the people of the State may De
enabled to elect two-thirds or three-quafterS
If its Representatives in Congress. One Dem
ocratc journal openly boasts that this chanso
in the Ohio delegation will suffice to give INC
Democrats majority in the next House. An
other points to the proud record OF lhulana
Democrats who have so ably swindled by leels-
lative apportionment that at the last erection
264, 1865 votes cast for Republican Candidates
for Congress elected only three Representa-
tiyes. while 259,697 votes cast for Democfatlc
candidates elected ten Representatives. bu'
for this bright and shining robbery the Repuo-
lican majority in the House would De elSh'
larger next December and if a minority can
elect quarters of the Representatives. IN
Indiana, their Democratic neighbors IN Ohio
feel that they are smart enough to elect at
least two-thrds. Finally, they openly declare
that thew will fix the districts so that at LEAST
three of the most useful Republican members
Mckinley, Butterworth and Kennedy, Will be
buried under overwhelming Democratic ma
jolities.
This state of things must be seriously con-
sidered by the Republicans in Congress TINS
winter in connection with the proposed Ma
tional Election law. 1t has always been with
in the constitutional power OF Congress 10 pre-
scribe the places and manner of choosing
REPRESENTATIVES. and therefore to apporton the
districts in the different States by Congressional
action. That power has not been exercised DIS
the power to regulate elections OF Representa-
tives in other respects has not because IL uSeu
TO he considered infamous, even by Democratic
voters if a State Legislature robbed the people
by unfair apportionment. But when such
wrong as the one in Indiana has already been
perpetrated, with others scarcely less Migrant
and it is proposed virtually to dlSfanchlSe
third of the people of Ohio by dishonest appor-
tionment. the necessity of Congressional action
is obvious.
An act of Congress usually apportions Repre-
sentatives among the different States, leaving
to the State Legislatures the arrangement of
the districts But Congress ought this winter to
enact law regarding the Congressional cleo
tions to be held next fall and afterward, not only
in respect to the mode of registration and vot-
ing. but also as to the districts by which mem
bers shall be elected. Such law, if fairly and
honestly framed to represent the population and
inhabited territory as justly as possible, would
somewhat reduce the Democratic representa-
ton in the House, it is probable, because APP
environments at the South are about as bad as
they can be, and because the Democratic ma
jorities at the North are concentrated in few
localities Newly ork City at the last election
gave "a 900 plurality, Brooklyn O0Oo, Jersey
City ID 600, and Boston and Cincinnati several
thousand each while in all the rest of the four
great States the Republican outnumbered the
Democratic vote. No fair apportonment Is
possible which would not leave the Democratic
representation relatively weak, because of this
concentration of Democratic votes in few
localities.
Unless Congress acts on this subject, with
provision that no change Of the districts shall
hereafter be possible except by Congressional
enactment after each census, the evil of fraud
ulent dishictng in the several States is likely
to increase beyond measure. The fairness OF
appoitiOnment does not concern the people OF
the several States as such, but the people of the
whole country, because the prosperity and good
government of the whole country depend upon
the action of Congress.