The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1889-05-28


The republicans are an XiOus that the enumer-
alton OF the population of the country shall be
completed in time for the present congress to
enact reapportionment law, fixing the number
OF the representatives in congress and the num-
Der OF presidential electors. The present con-
gress is republican, and that is why republicans
are so anxious that it shall enact reapportion-
ment law, If there is any advantage to be gained
in the framing of the law that party will not be
slow to seize upon it.
The work of enuneratng the population will
be begun in June, 1890 Ifit is Systematically,
quickly and intelligenay done congress will
know the number of the population of the
country early in the following January When
the last census was taken the superintendent
sent statement OF the number Of the population
to congress by Jan I, which was within 5000
of the number which the revised census showed.
No doubt the present superintendent Of sthe
census will be able 10 do as quick work as his
predecessors.
In making a reapportionment congress will
have very Difficult task TO perform. The House
of Representatives is already too large. 1t is un-
wiedy In The reappor'ionment effort,
will be TO prevent its being increased.
Ii 1t IS not increased great many ofthe states
will lose representatives In fact about all the
eastern states will suffer a loss Even the great
states Of New y DIRK and Pennsylvania will not
have rs much strength in the electoral college
and IN congress rs they have at present Most
OF the western states and one or two of the
southern states will gain by the rcapportonment
Or course the states that will suffer loss will
want to increase the House so as to retain their
present number of members, Though they will
doubtless yield to reason. when ithey '"recognize
the folly OF making that body SO big that it can
not be handled successfullv
On the basis of the census OF 1850 The House
WAS nxed at 241 members. This was an IN
crease or only one in thirty years During these
thirty years the population increased nearly 49,
100000. On the basis of the census Of 1870 the
House was fixed at 272 members, and on thai Of
1880 at 1926 members At present, each State 10
allowed one representa- tve for every 1871 912 Of
lts population. If this ratio IS maintained. and
the population proves to be 65 900 900. as il s
thought it will the next House will contain
about 43O members. That number could not he
seated in the present hall of the House.
Inc probability is that the ratio will be one
representative to every 100000 of the population.
Ii that ratio should be adopted the House wonld
not De increased unless the population 10 much
greater than it is estimated to be-
The States that will lose representatives by =
change OF ratio will, OF course, bitterly resist
change, and the complications that NAV arise in
consequence OF their resistance may DELAY reap
portoament. The fact, however, that the Re-
publicans have both branches Of Congress and
the Presidency, is in favor of 4 promnt ar
porlionment, because they will seek TO NAL.
every point they can for their party. They Ger
fanny would no', II they could help it, leave the
reappor'lonment to the Fifty second Congress
which might be Democratic