St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-04
CRIME AGAINST STATES.
McComas' Anti-Gerrymander Bill
is Reported Favorably.

is RepOrteQ E'aVOraDIy.
WASHINGTON. d. c., May 3.-Repre-
sentative McComas. of Maryland. to-day
reported to the house from the commit
tee on election of president, vice-presi-
I dent and representatives in congress,
his bill to, prevent gerrymandering.
The report is long and includes an
elaborate review and discussion
Of the constitutional questions in
volved. 1t says: 1.-The country
grows more anXiuS to secure
fair elections. Congress is justly urged
to pass national election laws to guar
antee a fair voting, counting and return
of the election of congressman. IN
states hostile to the exercise of the suf-
frage by cotored citizens: the enforce
ment of such laws may be difficult In
deed. The subject of a national cleo
ton law is involved in the negro
problem. This anti-gerrymandering
bill may be effective in the white states,
where powerful Ininorities OF white
voters are to-day suppressed by shame
full gerrymandering. At the last cleo
ton for congressman in Indiana, for
instance, the majority vote for con-
gressmen elected three representatives,
but the minority vote for congresSmen
elected ten representatives. Such ger
rymandering is a. crime against the gen
eral government and the people OF the
whole ration. This bill will at least
compel representation of the suppressed
white minority in the white states. 1t
will check
RECKLESS GERRYMANDERING
in the states of the black belt.and make it
easier for representatives elected there
in to obtain certifcation of election. 1t
will respect eQuallyStateS rights and the
rights of the United States. 1t permits
the states to continue to make regula-
tiOnS for the election of congressman.
but warns the states that national
constitution has been-adopted establish
ing real, and not a Shadowy govern
ment, sovereignty of the people
reposed in an executive and the
congress-; and that. the congress
will exercise its power to make
or alter the state regulation
of the time, place and manner of hold
gress. to secure districts more compact
as to territory, more stable in duration,
and to secure greater equality of popu-
lation behind the representatives in
congress. These things the states have
failed to do" Mr.. Tucker. of Virginia.
submitted the report of the minority.
After bitter criticism of the bill. it
says: in this day the spirit of reform
is FESTIVE: 1t cannot wait. 1t would
break down precedents because they
are old, and sanction the sug-
gestiOnS of radicaiism because
they are new. 1t would. take from the
states the privilege of arranging their
own congressional districts, as each
might think best for its own pe0ple,and
assigns that right to congress. against
reason. precedent and the constitution
itself. 1t would uproOt the laws OF soy
ereign states without cause, and sup
plant them with the unconstitutional
enactments of partisan congress. 1t
would break down the representative
principle in our government by plac-
ing power in the hands of
the representative for the prop
er exercise of which he is
not responsible to the people whom it
affects. 1t would strengthen and en-
large the powers of a partisan officer of
the house of representatives, and in one
breath it would have congress COM
mand the sovereign states of the Union
TO do its bidding, and in the next breath
prohibit their action. This spirit of re-
form must he arrested or consolidation,
despotic and hopeless. will be our
destiny. 1t must be checked, or upon
IUG lHOuTului IulllS Vi SldlS pT6pUIlutI-
ance will arise a mammoth empire,
stretching its broad arms from the At
lantic to the Pacific shores; an empire
whose sway
Will Dwarf Imperial Rome;
ooundess in its domain and limitless in
its authority: with no guide but its will,
no restraint but its own discretion;
with no constitution but its fiat, no law
but its own power; an empire decked
with all the gorgeous splendors of a
centralized domain and proudly WELD
ing the seepter of its absolute sway over
the broken and crouching victims of its
ruthless usurpations." Mr.. Frank, OF
Missouri, signed neither the majority
nor the minority report. He has framed
dissenting report, in which he says
that the most c0gent reason for his
refusal to give assent to the views Af the
majority is that the measure will be-
very unpopular and diStaSteful to the
minds of the people. WHO are not law
yers and who are unable to draw a dis;
tinction between an eX post faeto and a!
| retroactive law. Under the constitution
of the United States no eX post faetO5
law can be passed. Under the cotistituls
| ton of all the states no eX post faet0i
law can be passed, and under some of
| them no retroactive law can be passed.
| A retroactive law is always regarded
with great dlsfavor. and the people will
not sustain congressional action ln:the
way the bill proposes.