The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-04-24
(Fro7n the Mp York Times. J

A correspondent of the Baltimore
Neaes, writing from Chattanooga, Tenn,
describes plan that is believed to be on
foot and to have grown out Of the recent
visit of Mr.. ". ". Dudley to that and
other points in the South According
to this authority, the immediate purpose
of Mr.. Dudley's trip was to look into a
bill pending in the Tennessee Leglsla-
ture for redistricting the State, with the
view to converting the Third Congress
sional District from a Republican to a
Democratic district In the course of
his inquiries Mr.. Dudley ascertained
facts that suggested the expediency of
taking the whole business of elections to
the House of Representatives out Of the
hands of the States and into those of the
Federal government. The correspondent
says that Mr.. Dudley and other lawyers,
mostly from the North and naturally
Republicans, are engaged in drafting
bill which will contain the following
provision:
"That Congress shall divide the differ.
ent States into Congressional Districts.
Where State districting Is satisfactory
Congress will adopt it without change;
where not satisfactory Congress will re-
district the State. The bill will further
provide that all elections for Federal
offices shall be under the control Of the
Federal courts and shall be in charge of
the United States Marshal in whose dis
trict the election shall be held. 1t is
believed that the Republican representa-
ton can be increased by two in Tennes-
see, one in Kentucky, two in West Vir-
ginia. three in North Carolina, two in
South Carolina, two in Georgia, two in
Alabama, three in Mississippi, one in
Florida, one in Arkansas, one in Louis
lana and one in Texas. "
It will be seen that this provides for a
gain in all of twenty-four seats IN the
House of Representatives, and it is ex
pected that, IN addition to this substan-
tial advantage the electoral votes of
Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee
may be added to the Republican column
at the next Presidential election, in
1892.
It's not at all improbable that some
such schemes as this may be Matching
in the minds of the Republican leaders.
It is quite in harmony with the general
idea Of Senator Sherman's electoral bill,
and is, in fact, logically development'of
that idea. The authority for the project
is found in Section of Article II of the
Constitution. which declares: ''The
times. places and manner of holding
elections for Senators and Representa-
tives shall be prescribed by each State by
the Legislature thereof; but the Con-
grcss may at any time make or alter
such regulations, except as to the place
of choosing Senators" 1t is not likely
that there will be any serious obstacle
based on its constitutionality, to the
plan described above. AS to its pro-
priety or expedlency there will be very
strenuous objections. 1t is perfectly
true that the Legislatures of the various
States have, ever since determination of
the government, been guilty of what is
known as gerrymandering-that is, of
distributing the population of the vari-
Gus States in such manner as to secure
as many districts as possible for one
particular party. The method is ia
miliar and simple. 1t consists in di-
viding up the voters of the favored
party into numerous districts III each of
which they will have safe, but not
large majority, while the voters of the
other party are concentrated in a small
number of districts in each of which
they will have a large majority. That
such an arrangement is vicious, unjust,
in direct violation of the spirit and
intent of the Constitution, there is no
doubt.
If this wrong could be remedied by
Congressional action, there is no ques.
ton that it would be great advantage
to the whole country. But it would not
be. It would, on the contrary, only be
greatly aggravated by transferring the
business to Congress, because the p0lltl-
cal majority in that body would be con-
stantly tempted to commit, on larger
scale, precisely the wrong that is now
committed in the several States. Where
as the wrongs in the States may and do
balance each other in a rough way, ac-
cording as one party or the other may
prevail in the Legislatures, the wrongs
perpetrated by the political majority IN
Congress would be all on one side. Such
action would give rise to an Infinite
amount of dispute and agitation in Con.
gress, each party seeking, when 1t had
the power, to undo what its rival had
done, and to advance its own interests.
Moreover, comparatively small major
ity in Congress would have the means
of doing great deal of mischief throug D.
out the whole country, and it would be
practically impossible to hola the ma
iority party to any direct or effective re-
sponsibility. We poiut out these facts
because it is to the interest of the public
to know them, and because, with the
slight majority held by tie Republicans
in the House, public opinion may have
some influence. We have very little
doubt that if the Republican managers
see their way clear to consummatlng
this scheme, they will do so. 1t is with
no hope of checking them that the facts
are commented upon. For the opinion
of decent people Mr.. Dudley and his as
sociates have very little respect unless 1t
can be enforced. But they are working
on a very narrow margin, and may be
brought to see that their plan is not
safe.
Not Built That Way.
The most contemplate fellow on the
fare of the earth is he who borroWeth