The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-03-26
OHIO APPORTIONMENT.
A INDUSTRIOUS POLITICAL FRAUD IN
THE BUCKEYE STATE.

The Infamous Democratic Gerry mander-
Three-fourths at tho Congressman tn Be
s,oian-The Sch sme so Repugnant tn
Leccncy that EVeI Joe Pulitzer At
lacks 40.
From the Chicago Tribunel
The infamous gerrymander just COM
pleted by the Democrats in Ohio ought
TO arouse indignation throughout the
country. Ohio mas always been a Repub-
lican State on National issues, and has
only been carried by the Democracy oc-
casionally IN off years and on local ques-
lions. In fifteen years the Democrats
have carried the State only twice. Last
fall they elected their candidate for Gov
ernor on account of the .saffection of
German Republicans over the Sunday
DRY" law and because many iormer Re-
publicans, blinded by prohibition folly
ard fanaticism, were dupvd into pla, ing
into the hands of the Tree liquor party.
Yet under these adventitious conditions
the Democrats elected only their candi-
date for Governor aud had to pull the
Lieutenant Governor through by throwing
out votes cast for his Repnbl can op-
ponent The remainder of the Republi-
can ticket was elected 10y some 4,COt ma
jority. The utmost that could be claimed
by the Democrats was that in an of year
and with local issues prominent the State
was about equally divided. SelzIng on
accidental control of the Legislature they
have gerrymandered the state for Ma
tional legislation SO as to give them fifteen
Congressman knd the Republicans six.
The fraud has been so arlfully perpe-
trated that unless the Republicans can
carry Ohio by over 10000 majority they
Will not be able to get more than six or
seven Congressman. Not content with
this Infamous fraud the Democrats are
talking OF Il proposition to give the Leg
islature power to cast the Electoral vote
of the State so that, although the voters
might give sc, 900 or 100, t0J majority for
the Republicans in the next Presidential
election, the Democratic candidate would
have the twenty-three electoral votes of
the State If the Legislature elected in
1891 should happen 10 be Democratic.
The Ohio Democrats stopped at moth
in which they thought might serve TO
subSti, ute fraudulent minority tyranny for
majority rule gerrymander more out
rAeeously unjust and even criminal in
character was never made. To make sure
that they could hold a majority of the
seats in Congress, even though the State
should be heavily Repub lean, the Dem
,crats mapped out districts without re-
gard to geograI hical or other considera-
tions except 10 destroySas many Republi-
c n votes as possible and strangle the
voice OF Republican communities. Where
it was impossible to do this, as in sec
tons along the Ohio and Nj ami Rivers,
Republican counties were bcnched to-
gether SO that they woUli have excessive.
useless majoritie. and waste their voting
strength III the air. Thus there is IA ma
jority of $50 IN the Second District of
ii amilton County, 6,542 IN the Tenth,
7,0,5 in The Twelfth 9,l0l in the Nine
teenth, and 6, 500 in the Twentieth. These
are the districts in which the Republic
ms are to fire in the air. On the other
hind there IS Democratic majority of
/ .0O0-based on the last Presidential cleo
lion in the FIRST District, l,sO0 ditto in
he Third, 500 In the Fourth, Loo in
the Sixth, | 7C9 in the Seventh. 800 in
the Eighth, 600 in the Ninth, 400 in the
Eleventh, 900 the Thirteenth, 200 in
he Fourte nth, 800 in the Sixteenth,
], 900 in the Seventeenth, and / 100 in the
Twenty first. In twelve of these districts
there Is but l6, 900 Democratic majority,
whereas the Republican majorities piled
up in the Twelfth and neteenth are
100 TO-! The average majority in the Re-
pu lican districts Is five times that in the
Democratic Not only wee groups OF
Republican counties punched together.
20 as 10 make their great strength nuga-
tory, but lines were IN pped out so as to
throw other Republican counties in with
Democratic counties just strong enough
tn overcome them. Such counties as
Williams, Fulton, Luc is, Wood Van
Vert, Ii rdin, logan. Union, Miami,
Warren, Ross, Highland, Perry, jackson,
Delaware. Morrow, Madison, Preble,
Washing on, Noble, Belmont, nd Me-
dina, giving an aggregate Of some 2O,00)
Republic n malo itv, are all strangled
and crushed between Democratic coun-
ties III fourteen districts. hus while
Democratic ballots are made to count for
Rs much as possible. some 40, 900 Repub-
lican votes IN strong Cepublican coun-
ties are grouped so as to make them
valueless, aud twenty-three counties are
so fixed" MS to deprive them of the
strength that would belong 10 them un-
der any decent or fair npportionment.
The result is that VIII 10 being in a
minor .iy of 5000 to 25.bO0 on nat onal
issues in the State the Democrats have
seized three-fouiths Of the representa-
ton in Congress and will retIin it against
sw, eping Republican majority of the
popular vote.
Such an infamous gerrymander as this
in Ohio is n crime against free institu-
tlons. Calling themselves Democrats
these political robbers have conspired
against what Jefferson termed "the vital
principles of epublics-absolute acquies-
cence IN the will Of the majority" Trait
ors to the first principles of popu ar gov
e nment these political thieves and con-
spir tor have arranged to stife aud de-
sirov the voice of the majority in order
that the minority IN y usurp power and
govern. III this outrageous gerrymander
could be submitted to the people of Ohio
as direct issue and not complicated
with an, thing else it would be repudiated
by all Repaid icaDs and by tens of thou
sands of decent Democrats. That rem
edy being impracticabie however, the
Ohio Republicans ought 10 consider seri-
ously the question Of paving no attention
to the Democratic gerrym lnder and ,ot-
ing in their o d districts this IL. Two
sets of cand dates can then present them
SO yes for admission to the House, and
that body can decide whether a State
Ierrymandered so as to give the rule TO
the minority instead of the majority has
in fact "a republic IN form OF govern
ment." The House of Representatives
in Washington is just learning that il
can exc else the power of unseatin, men,
bers ia W y calculated to cure ectlon
frauds, and some h 70 c treatment OF that
LinI tnov no paadab for ohm