Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-16


Republican, of Cincinnati.
II am in favor OF that portion OF the bill,
said Representative Burton, Republican, OF
Cleveland, (which provides for the redls-
tricting of the State every ten years after the
| decennial census. But would hesitate to
vote for the clause which insists upon the
election of Representatives to the F1fty-sec-
ond Congress from the same districts from
which the Representatives in the present
Congress were elected. doubt whether 1
would 60 so far as that for reasons OF public
policy. I might do SO, however, but L
am inclined to be guided in the mat
ter somewhat by the action
of the majority, since am a
new member and perhaps do not know so
much about such matters as some of the
others. 1 am willing to admit that the
present Republican division of the State isn't
as fair as it might be, but contend that in
these things the Republicans have always
been fairer than the Democrats. In the
various gerrymanders through which the
State has passed that fact has always been
demonstrated. The Republicans have al
ways arranged things so that if there should
be Democratic majority on the general
ticket in the State there would be Demo-
cratic majority in the Congressional delega-
tion, while If there should be Republican
majority on the general ticket that party
would have majority of the Congressman.
In each of the cases, however, when the
Democrats have gerrymandered the State
they have fixed it SO that although there
might be Republican majority in the State
they would always have majority of the
Congressman"
A DEMOCRATS VIEW.
"1t is piece of villainous party parity"
said Representative Cultivate (Democrat),
OF Columbus, (which would come better if
proposed after the abuses now existing in
New York, Pennsylvania and other States
were first corrected. If they would restore
the proper basis of party representation in
those States, which has been destroyed by
their outrageously partisan gerrymander-
ings, I would be glad to see some such gen.
eral measure become law. Look at the
case of Ohio as it now stands. For instance,
there are 400, 900 Democratic votes repre-
sented by five Congressman, while the Alt 900
Republican votes have 16 Congressman to
represent them. While do not believe that
the trainers of the Constitution had such
thought in their minds, yet 1 am inclined to
think that the language of the Constitution
might permit Congress to legislate on this
subject. But Congress has no power to
designate how the electors shall be selected.
That is entirely matter for the States them
selves to decide. They can be appointed by
the Governor, as was done in Nebraska in
1876. or they can be selected by the Legisla-
ture; or they can be elected in the Congress
sional districts"
without having made any special ex-
animation of that particular point" said
Representative Williams, Republican, of
Troy. 81 am inclined to doubt the constitu-
tionality of the proposition to give TO Con-
gress the power to designate from what dis
tricts members of Congress shall be elected.
1 am not in favor of the idea of taking away
from State Legislature the power it alone
has to decide the limits of Congressional
districts As to this gerrymandering, it is
boomerang which has never failed, when
tried, to return and injure the party using
it. The evil of it affects the State alone but
if we passed this bill we would be extending
the same evil to the whole country, for even
a member Of Congress is human, and might
take advantage of circumstances to benefit
himself"
ALL IN FAVOR OF IT.
The Republican members of the commit
tee on the election of President and Vice
President, to which the McComas bill was
referred, are all supposed to be in favor of
passing the bill. Mr.. Rowell, of Illinois,
also chairman of the regular committee on
elections, said: "This bill Is the result of
frequent consultations of Mr.. Lodge, Mr..
McComas and myself The whole subject
involved was very carefully considered and
every possible contingency provided for. 1t
was then given to Mr.. McComas to draft
and introduce. believe the committee
will report it favorably, for all the
Republican members are in favor of it.
The committee will not, however, do so
if they find any decided opposition to it on
the Republican side of the House. I have
no doubt of the power of Congress to act in
this matter. admit that the charge can
be brought about this bill that 1t is framed
for the purpose of preventing the consum-
nation of the action of the Ohio Legislature,
and that it is partisan in its character. But
if the gerrvmandering bill that the Legis-
lature has adopted has made any great dis
elimination in the size of the districts in
order to make them either Democratic or
Republican, their action is clearly viola
tion of the letter and spirit of the law
and justiies Congress in putting stop to it.
1t is my opinion that the Ohio Democrats
will not dare to pass the bill introduced by
State Senator Buchanan, electing their
Presidential electors from the Congressional
districts. Ifthey do believe they will lose
every district"
Mr.. Smyser, Republican, of Wooster, O.,
said: II don't think there is any doubt of
the power of Congress to legislate in this
matter. But there is a question as to the
expediency of doing it at the present time.
1 will say, however, that if the Democrats
out in Ohio keep on they will make it ex-
pedient." LIGHTNER.