New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-18
APPORTIONUENT.

II is reported by the Census Bureau that the
record of population will be completed suifi-
GENTLY to enable Congress to frame an Appor-
tionment bill about the LIST OF August. There
are many and strong reasons for completing
that important work at this session, II 1t be
possible. The obvious reason is the strong
est: whatever increase in representation the
new States may be entitled to, on the basis OF
their population in 1890, they ought to be
enabled to enjoy earlier than December 1st,
1893. Refusal to adjust the representation
70 the population until more than three years
after census has been taken would lie
fragrant injustice, if it can be avoided. But
the Congress which is to be elected next 1all
will serve from March 1, 1891, until May l.
1898, and if the apportionment cannot be maze
at this session it will not take effect until mem
bers are elected two years hence, who Will not
meet and organize until the winter of 1898
The task of adjusting new apportionment
is not difficult one, if the majority VIII con-
sent to sustain perfectly strict and lmpartlai
allotment of members according to population
Probably there will be no serious effort this
year to increase materially the number OF
members in the House. because recent expert
ence has convinced most men that the num-
Der is already so large as to impair the ELL
cheney of the House for work or deliberations
Desks would also have TO be abandoned If there
should be much addition to the number OF
members. and without his desk the average
member would be like fish out OF water. "A
resolution instructing the proper committee to
report an apportionment upon the basis OF
certain specified number of members could be
considered and passed prior to the completion
of the census returns, and with that matter
settled bill could be reported quickly which
members would have no decent excuse Tor
altering.
The same bill ought to include provisions
setting aside the unjust appointments which
have been made in Ohio, Indiana, South
Carolina, Mississippi and some other States ana
recurring that members shall be elected III DIS
tricts of convenient and compact shape ana or
reasonable equality in population. The power
of Congress to fix the limits of districts has
not been denied, and indeed is as distinctly
granted by the Constitution as any other power
| but has not been exercised only because 1t was
boped that a spirit of justice would prevail IN
! state Legislatures. Where justice has been
disregarded Congress has the remedy within
its own hands The power to fix the boun-
diaries of the districts being given, the lesser
power to impose certain conditions upon their
arrangement by State authority is obviously
included and Congress may prefer first to eXer-
else the latter How far it may be practicable
or expedient to go in this matter at the present
session must depend upon the state OF public
business. But the act making new appor-
tionment of Representatives among the States
might with great propriety provide an ade-
ouate and instant remedy, wherever the dis
tricts within State are not equitably arranged.
1t is presumed that the new census will ma
terialIy increase the representation OF states
which are surely Republican, and diminish the
representation of some which elect only Dem
ocrats. But this is not yet definitely known
nor is it the proper ground for early action upon
apportionment. 1t makes no difference as to
the duties of Congress whether one party or
the other will gain in Representations In any
case. the actual adjustment of political power
according to population ought not to be I'M
necessarily delayed for more than three years