The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-12-09

1t Is said that large section of the Dem
ocratic party care more about defeating the
apportionment bill than they do about the
federal election bill. In the last ten years the
growth Of population has been much larger
in those states that are ordinarily Republi-
can than in the southern tier of Democratic
states. The inevitable effect of this is that
10 the reapp0rtionment the Republicans
Will gain an advantage unless the appOrtion-
ment can be deferred until such time that
the Democrats can make the appOI tiOnment
themselves. Then they might be able to so
Juggle 1t that the northern states would not
get the advantage of their increase Of popula-
tiOn. If the present House and Senate make
the apportionment it will mean an advantage
Of ten or fifteen representatives in regions
ordinarily Republican in sentiment. OF
course the Democrats do not want this, and
they will take every means to avert it if the
more radical section of their party can have
Its way. There is a division of sentiment
even among the Democrats upon this point
One party. composed of men who think like
Crisp of Georgia, rely most upon making
gerrymanders in the state legislatures which
the Democrats have captured. By this means
they think they can sufficiently offset the re-
suits OF the growth of population. On the
other hand is the section known as the
David b. Hill Democrats, who want to put
OFF the new apportiOnmeDt bill until after
1892, when they hope to have a Democratic
President, House and Senate. Although the
Democrats will have the next House over
whelmlngly they cannot pass an apportion-
ment bill such as they want because OF the
Republican Senate. Probably the David b.
Hill Democrats will have their way in the
councils of their party. They have already
begun their movement to defeat reappOrtiOn-
ment by endeayoring to,discredit the census
upon which the apportionment must be
based.
The assault upon the census begins with
the assault upon the New York count. 1t
seems hardly likely that a recount will be
ordered in New York, as Superintendent
Porter seems ready answer all the points
made against his enumerators There is no
doubt, whatever, that the census has been
taken as thoroughly and impartially as could
be done under the circumstances. The law
under which Mr.. Porter has had to do his
work allowed So small remuneration to the
enumerators that the best men could not al
ways be obtained to do the work. Some of
these men may have been careless, but it Is
not at all probable that New York suffered
more proportionately than hundreds of other
cities, as Portland, for instance. 1t was
probably grave mistake to allow so small
pay that the places as enumerators were not
desirable; but neither Mr.. Porter nor the
Republicans are chargeable with this, as the
census bill was passed during the last Con-
gress when the House was Democratic.
But the Democrats are making strong ef-
fort to show that the New York census is
partisan, aud If they can get recount they
hope to so discredit the whole census as to
defer the apportionment until after 1892
Then, should they succeed in getting the
President and Senate they could divide up
the representatives of the nation to suit
themselves. At least, il they can defer ap-
portionment until after this session they can
prevent the states that have gained in pepu-
iatlon from getting the advantage of it by
having the additional representation accord
ing to their dominant political sentiment.
One difficulty which the Democrats will
have in fighting the apportlonment bill this
session will be the state pride of certain rep
resentatives from states like Kentucky and
Indiana. The Republican apportionment
would save those states their present repre-
senatiOn, while an appOrtiOnment made to
suit the general purposes of the Democratic
party would be very likely to reduce their
representation.
1t will probably make considerable differ
enca with the State Of Maine whether this
Congress makes the apportionment or
whether it shall be left to such time as the
Democrats may Wish. The present House
of Representatives has 331 representatives,
and of these Maine has four. This is accord
ing to the census of $780, But in ten years
the country has grown away from Maine, so
that in House of 331, according to the CEN
sus of 1890. Maine would have but three
members. In fact, with any House less than
341 in size. Maine would lose. If the size of
the House is made from 341 to 375 Maine
will retain her four Congressman. IL Is
probable that the apportionment bill deter
mined upon by this House will provide for
not far from $50 members.
Maine men here now are Captain j. S.
Winslow of Portland. who is anxious about
the pilotage bill which failed last session j.
Ii. Manley of Augusta, who Is interested in
a bill to increase the salary of the Augusta
postmaster: and Wilbur f. Lunt of Port
land, who Is visiting Washington In compa
ny with Colonel Richard @. Shannon Of New
York. Captain Winslow Is also interested
in the passage of the shipping bills. These
bills will undoubtedly be brought nm in The
House this session, they having passed the
Senate last session. Whether thew can mass
the House Is another question. Most If the
Republicans favor them, but number do
not. There are enough Democrats who fa-
vor them to make up for the Republican on
position If these Democrats wonId vote as
they think, but they are quite likely To stick
by the mass Of their party
1t has showed hard today and sleigh bells
are ringing on the streets tonight.