The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-09-04
ONE SOLUTION OF IT.
Judge w. Lair Hill on the Re-
apportionment Puzzle.
AS TO SENATORIAL DISTRICTS
How Members May Be Retired From
Those with Odd Numbers
Status OF Holdovers.

The question of the reapportionment OF
the state, topic exciting much interest on
account of the efforts the legislature IS
now putting forth to solve the difficult
problem, had further light thrown on 1t
yesterday by Judge w. Lair Hill. In re-
Spouse TO questions asked by PosT-INTELr
LIGENcER reporter. he said in substance:
while don't want to set up my opinion
as an authority, or obtrude my views, yet
/ will say that whatever disposition the
legislature may make of the question, it is
pretty certain that there will be no litiga-
ton over the matter. The state will be
Iikeiy to accept any honest attempt to
meet the demands OF the occasion, the sit
nation being novel one, and the consti-
tutional provisions on the subject being
generally considered more or less obscure
and uncertain. In the nature OF things the
present conditions cannot occur again. We
are irving to get into the traces of the new
constitution. and when once we get In,
everything will go smoothly.
80 far as the House of Representatives Is
concerned there Is no difficulty, compare
lively speaking, for the constitution is
plain on the point and no trouble can arise,
except such as is incident to the desire OF
every section to secure as large representa-
ton as possible. That always causes more
OF less friction when reapportionment is
made.
sIn respect to the Senate all is not so
easy, the perplexity arising from appar-
entity contradictory clauses in the constitu-
ton. l believe it is generally understood
to be impossible to interpret the constitu-
ton literally in every part and satisfy all
the requirements. So We must make up
our minds to cut the knot with the sword,
If need be-to sacrifice point for the sake
of getting at the general purpose OF the
trainers of the constitution; and, as have
said, do not believe litigation will result
from this cutting of the knot, for we must
do something to get out of the tangle.
I'm my view the difficulty is more
apparent than real To get at the meaning
of the constitution We must read together
q number of its clauses, and try to recon-
cile them so far as possible. Take Section
6 of Article 2. 1t runs:
After the first election the senators shall be
elected by single districts of convenient and
contiguous territory, at the same time and in
the same manner as member of the House OF
Representatives are required to be elected. and
no representative district shall be divided in
the formation of a senatorial district They
shall be elected for a term OF four years, one
half their number retiring every two years.
The senatorial districts shall be numbered con-
secutively, and the senators osen at the first
election had by virtue Of this constitution. in
odd numbered districts, shall go oat OF office at
the end of the FIRST year, and the senators
elected in the even mum bered districts shall go
out ut the end OF the third year.
Here we have-changing the order of
the propositions a little-the provisions:
First, that the senators chosen at the first
election from odd-numbered districts shall
go out at the end of one year. and those
chosen from even-numbered districts at the
end of three years; second, that the term
of Office of senator's shall be four years;
third, that half shall go out every two
years, and fourth. that after the first cleo
ton, senator's must be elected by single
districts.
Now read section 1 of article %, and
you will observe that until otherwise pro-
vided by law the state was districted out
for senatorial purposes by the constitution
itself, and without following the single
district idea.
''In still another article it was provided
that the first election of senators should be
and it Washed on the first Friday of
October, 1889.
These are all the provisions of the con-
stitution that have any special bearing on
the subject and to me there appears no
contradiction whatever in them, and no
great difficulty in constituting them. When
read together they seem to me TO say pretty
plainly: That the districting of the con-
stitution itself was to be only for the cleo.
ton of October, 1889; that the senators
chosen at that election from odd-num.
bered districts were chosen for one year
only, and those from even-n numbered dis
tricts for three years only; that the legis
lature must now divide the whole state into
single senatorial districts; that from such
of these single districts which cover the
territory embraced in the odd numbered
districts made by the constitution itself
senators must be elected this fall to entel
upon four years term in place of tn,
one-year senator's whose term expires thi.
all by limitation of the constitution; anC
hat from those single districts which cove
the territory embraced in the even-num
,ered districts made by the constitution
itself, senator's must be elected il
she fall of 1892, to ente
ipon a term OF four years, in place of til,
.hree-year senator's whose term will ex
,ire in the fall of 1899; that the provision
cor determining the duration of the offic
oy even and odd-numbered districts is onl,
temporary-a means of getting started oi
IN the overlapping plan by which tn
Senate would always have a number of oil
members, and is not TO be observed in des
ignating the single districts which ar
hereafter to be made: and this entir
scheme does not involve so rigid an ad
herence TO the geographical lines of pre-
vious superintendent as to exclude tn
application of practical common sense i
the districting now or at any time here
after to be made. 1t may require sligt
notifications of boundary lines of old di,
tricts in laying out the single districts no.
required. If so. it viii only require that {
he which has been in other states, namely
the modification of the boundaries of a
old district in order 10 make the new on
comply with changes of population"
The Eighth street Grade.