Yazoo City herald., 1890-09-19
is IT iUsTa

There Il only one just and equitable
way u re-appOrtion the State Of Mis-
sissippI, and that y upon the basis Of
population. All other schemes will BE-
unjust and detrimental 20 the harmony
Of the State. Because certain counties
have black majorities Is no reason why
they should not receive their full
strength IN the Legislature. There IL
to-day more dissatisfaction In the ranks
N the Democratic party In what are
known NJ the "white counties" than In
the Delta, and we believe that more ln-
dependents would be members Of the
Legislature, were II known that the
white counties would control the Leg
islatiire. YazOo Herald.
Will,the HERALD please tell us
how it Is just and equitable for
the negroes in Yazoo county, or
any other county, to have a voice
IN our democratic nominating con-
yentfonsY- No one denles that
they have. For instance Kinds
county has eight votes with about
1900 white population, while Co
piah has four votes with 1900
white population. Is that right?
No one would particularly com
plain for what are designated as
black counties to have representa-
tion IN the Legislature based upon
the white and black population,
but they seriously object TO the
black population being counted
against them when it comes TO
making democratic nominations.
--Copiah Signal.
The HERALD will not attempt to
say that the negroes have a right
TO "a voice in our Democratic
nominating conventions" neither
does the article the Signal com
inents upon mention or even inti-
mate such n thing. In speaking
Of apportioning a county though
for members of the Legislature we
must not count alone the Demo-
cratic or Republican strength of
the county, but must either take
the registered vote of both parties,
Of both races, or the whole census
of the county. Upon these returns
should, the apportionment be
made. Because Yazoo county has
for the past fifteen years elected
only Democrats as members of the
Legislature, it is not to be consid-
cred that they represent only the
Democrats Of the county in dis
charging their official duties, but
they are expected, and do repre-
sent both Republicans and Demo-
Gratis, whites and blacks. Sup
pose, for sake of argument, that
Democratic and Republican nom
mating conventions were eld,and
each of them would nominate can
didates. AT the election the Re-
publicans would win, would the
Signal then say that the county
ought again to be apportioned in
proportion to the vote cast for the
Republicans? Certainly it would
not offer such an argument. Then
why does it insist that Yazoo
county should only be apportioned
in proportion to its Democratic
strength in nominating conven-
tions, when they are intended to
represent only a part of the voting
strength of the county? Win the
Signal please tell us why Missis-
sippi has seven members in Con- |
gress, while other States have only
lwo2 Is it because Mississippi is !
to that number on ac-
,ount of its being an older State?
Certainly not. Is it because we l
'lect only Democrats, while there q
$ 0 majority of moro than $4,000 Q
'himed by the Republicans? e
'Iost assuredly not, Then why :
his difference if it is not on the j
'asis of population regardless of t
he voting strength of either or e
10Th parties. The HERALD would o
Iot for moment insist that Co S
'iah county's membership in the /,
be made in proportion Il
0 the vote cast by any party, and e
'e think that the Signal should S
e as charitable towards Yazoo. ttt
T Yazoo county has a larger pop Ii
lation than Copiah, which is not il
ehied by the Signal, then just in S
as its population is lar
er, so should its representation
4 the Legislature be, which leads
S to reaflirm our position: "There S,
! only one just and equitable way ia
, re-apportion the State of Mis- T
ssippi, and that is upon the ba- hi
is of population s.
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