Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-04-18
AuIpteresting Question

Congressman Springer, who has always
taken great interes; in matters relating
to the census, upon being asked. recently,
what he thought of the prospect of re-
apportionment of congressional repre-
sentstion duriHg the short session of the
fifty first congress, after the superinten-
dent of the census should have made an
enumeration of population, replied:
Very much will depend upon the polit.
ical complexion of the fifty-second con
gress, which will have been elected by
that time. II the republicans maintain
control there is little doubt that they will
be allowed to proceed to pass reap
portionment bill without any factious OPP
position on the part of the democrats
II, however. the elections in the fall OF
1890 should reverse the present majority
then it is likely the democrats will think
that they can apportion the congressional
representation under the eleventh census
just as we'll as the republicans. In that
case there is likely to be contest There
Is one thing which will ID difficult to de-
eide, and that is the number of members
which the house in the fifty-first con-
gress shall contain. There is no chance
of increasing the present limit of 325 to
any great extent unless the seats are al
taken out Of the house and the English
system of seating members is adopted.
Asked his opinion as to what is likely
to be the basis of representation, Mr.
Springer said;
- =. Ia
at this time, but / should say that we
have close upon sixty.tive millions OF
people today. This would give us an in
crease of about fifteen millions in the last
ten years, and of this increase Hin OILS
can show fully million. The great
states of the west-notablv Minnesota,
Kansas and Nebraska-will certainlyb be
entitled to an increase in representation,
and so will Nevada and California. CHE
chances are, too, that Alabama, and ger
haps Georgia, have grown sufficiently TO
warrant an increase in their representa-
ton, even though the basis of represen-
tation may be higher. There can be no
question as to Texas Texas has grown
more rapidly than any other state of the
south, and her congressional representa-
ton will be correspondingly increased E.
On the other hand, New York may fall
of one, although the growth of'the large
cities like New York, Brooklyn and Buff
falo may counteract the falling off which
has been noticed in some of the rural
districts. Rhode Island, Maine and Yer
mont will not want to give up any OF
their representation, and for this reason
1t is probable that fight will be
made to keep the basis down, which
would necessitate a corresponding in.
crease in the number of members. II
we take 200, 900 as the basis this would
give US just about the same number OF
representatives as we have now. The
reapprOtionment under the tenth cen sus
was made upon the basis of 10000. On
the basis of 20O,0 600, and with popula-
ton OF 65, 600, 900, there would be Just
the same number of members as we have
today-namely, 1895. But it must be re =
membered that five new members have
been provided for under the territorial
admission bills, so that 100000 would
give net increase of at least FIVE. The
whole question is complicated one, and
so at this stage it is difficult to make any
predictions as to the outcome. The short
session of congress which followed the
census OF 1880 was unable to agree upon
the plan Of reapportionment, and 1t is
probable that similar difficulties may
arise this time, although am convinced
that 1t will depend almost wholly upon
the result OF the congressional elections
one year from next fall.