New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-19
THE NEXT APPORTIONMENT.
PROBABLE SIZE OF THE HOUSE AND THE
ELECTORAL COLLEGE UNDER IT.
THE PASSAGE OF An APPoRu oNMEST LAW NEXT
r,r1. FAVORED BY manipulation
AND FREE VOTING IN THE SOUTH
SOME INSTRUCTIVE CoUPLETs.
wy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSE.l

SOME INSTRUCTIVE CoUPLETs.
Wy TELEGRAPH TO THE TKlDrSE.1
Washington. March 15.-Thc expectation and be-
lief that The statistics Of population under the Al
Census will be compiled and the results made known
carly I'm August have already lmpclleh men OF both
parties in Congress who are OF a mathematical turn
of miud and have a fondncss for the calculation OF
political Probabilities. to begin 10 make hgire5 ana
estimates of tho membership Of the House after the
next apportionmcnt of Representatives. Among
many Rcpublicans there Is strong desire. moi
only that the apportlonment shall be made by the
present Congress but that 1t shall be made soon
enough TO give all the states opportunity to fix
the boundaries Of the Congress districts before
the Presidential election of 1892 To that end many
Rcpublcans are in favor Of having the Census Com
mittces Of the Senate and House meet early III the
autumn to prepare an Apportionment BILL 50 a. to
have il ready for consideration the first day OF tho
session. some of the Republican leaders also FAVOR
a specal session Of Congress. 10 begin As soon rs
practicable after the fall clccfions-say on november
lO-to deal with the subject.
Among the arguments IN favor OF TINS course are
these That the Legislatures Of hrtysix OF the forty
two states meet bicnnially that the regular sch"'d
sessions the Legislatures OF twenty ivc oi 'hosc
states will be held in January, 1881 and that between
December l. 1890. and November ]. 1so2' the Leg
islaturcs of all the except Alabama ana Gcor
ra will have met In regular Sc sion. If an Apporuoh-
mont law shonld be passed late March l. 1-el'
the Legislatures of thirty odd states would nave 10
be called in special session IN order to comply WIN
It's provisions before the next Presidential election
As the Western and southern states expect I'd mahe
substantial gains in electoral votes. as well as Ill inc
Uouse under the new apportionment, IT Is not eA-
pcctcd that the Representatives. and senators from
those states will any serious opposition to the
early enactment OF the new law
The belief seems to be somewhat general that inc
next House will be composed OF 353 memoers-or'
Idaho ard Wyoming lie admitted this year. OF d'o mem
hers on that basis and If the apporionment should
be made by this Congress, the total number OIL eiec
,ora votes in 1902 would be either Az or 4i3 and the
successful candidate for President would have to re
cclyc IN the first 90 votes or more ana IN the
second case 80 votes or more
on the basis Of increase Of population between
1870 and l--O 1t j. estimated that the total popui"
ton according to the new census VIII DC aoou,
q, 600 900. distributed as follows New-Engsnd
States 300 900; Middle states New YORK, New"
sew Pennsylvania. Delaware. Maryland and West
yirrinia) 5000 900; southern States including Ken
mcky and Missouri. - 100000, Western states, IN
Guiding Pacific state, and states newly admitted OF
TO he admitted, 23.jOO.OOO
II these estimates should be correct ana inc
membership Of the House should be increase" a.
mentioned. The Ncw.Encand states probably wonid
lose one or two Representatives, the Middle nNt'o'
probably would gain one two; the southern states
vouId gain nine and tho Western states would gain
fifteen ON the basis Of $50 members. the New
England states would have. say. twenty-five votes
in the House and thry seven electoral votes; the
Middle ciehty-two votes in the House and ninety
four electoral votes the southern states would nave
llo votes in the House and Ia electoral votes, and
tho Western states would have l-9 votes IN the
House and 1877 electoral votes.
The census returns may materially modify the
estimates not only Of representative popuaion-tia
- the population which furnishes the votes to eject
Presidential electors and Representatives In Con
crc~-but also If the distribution Of that population
among the st1to II the assertion be true that there
Is no suppression Of the voice and viii Of the voters
I'm any state there must have been not only no
Increase. bur. IN some eases. an actual decrease Of
population in some II the STATES.
In Mississippi. FOR example. the population IN
--O. according to The census returns Wa lib '''.
and the total for Presidential ccctors The same
year. was il7.o7- the proportion 81 voters being
nc in nine and #, teuth- ~ tie population. In
1876. only four years before. TIE proportion had
been one IN I've. NOW. applying the ratio Of i--u
80 The Presidential vote ~ Mississippi n las. which
| was ii55G7. tho population had dwudicd down -
.OOD.il3 since l--O. II the ratio Of 100 De ap
piled, the population had dccrcased to 81 .-35a
| Joss Of more than half million Of population In
| twelve years.
| In Georgia the population in isoo Was i.54also.
| and the total vote was 5000. Tlhug the total
soto Of Las. which was lf..-3J. and multiplying II
by the ratio Of l--o 03.4-it is found that The pop
ulafion has dwlndled 10 .3olD50 IN South Carolina
the population. according 10 the ocnsu, ~ 1--o. wa>
0gJ.,77, and the total vet" l7O.ojG-or in 10
/ In l-r- the total vote only 1870 which, &c
eordng to the ratio II 1850. made the total popua
ton In the latter year 55O-a decrease Of so. 81.
or more than 30 per cent
| Perhaps t,c.c facts may he doomed sufficient la
the 81 1890 shall show increase
# population IN tie three states, TO require some
proof that the elections in these states are free and
fair and that the return, thereof are honc.t. II the
election, are fair and free and II the population has
decreased q, the election returns indicate. better
reason. can BE- ASKED for the immediate icapportion
mcn Of Repre- -cnatVcs and redistribution ~ cleo,
vote. II certainly IS travcstv ON representative
government 10 allow inequalities TO spring NJ and be
perpcuatcd which result IN such coupct as this:
south Ca'oina-,cv'n Repre- enativ's. nno electoral
votes, total vote. 1880. kansas seven Represent
| atvcs. nno electoral votes total vote, $3.50.
or this, Mississippi Representatives.. nine
electoral vote total vote li5,5G7. Ncw Jcr. cy-
seven Representatives,. nino electoral votes; total
vote. 3O3.7il.
or this: Gcorsa-Tcn Representatives., twelve
electoral vofc,-totaI vote. 1i2.-30. Whconsn-Nine
| Representatives, eleven electoral votes; total vote
| sol 5sf
or TIL Loul,iana-SiN representatives, eight ciccto
raj vote, total vote. IL 80. CalifornasiN Repre-
sentative. eight electoral votcs; total vote, 25l $50.
or tn, Louisiana Six Representatives, eight elect
oral vote total vote. l-7,2Jo. Connecticut i"nr
Representatives six electoral votes; to' vote, l,3 81
or this Arlansas-fivc Representatives, seven
electoral votes; total vote, 1j30ii. Mime Alive
Representatives, seven electoral votes; total vote
1920.
or this: Alabama EIGHT Hcpro ,cnta'ives. ten
electoral votes. total vote. l71,loo. Mafyiand- >N
Representatives. eight electoral votes; total vote
| 3lO.H4l.
| Or this: Tcnncssce-Icn Representatives.. twelve
| electoral Vafc-: total vote, 3OB,iGb. Sew Jersey
Representatives. nine electoral votes, total VOC"
| 3O3.74I.
Here are eight cOnplcts and there can he cacu.o
| for saying thu they formed partisan basis
or for partisan effect. FOR onchalf II them oompr 81
| only states which voted for Cleveland IN l0-V.
These figure. aside from The political significance
which thcN viii convey to every mind must excite
strong curiosity to the relative proportions of mall
pcr-on. the different states who have reached
| passed the axe twenty YEAR. In 81 ihc
STATE, The ratio indicated by the total number Of
votes returned IN lrrO. was a, follows:
Alabama .......1 $40 Califoroia -..--.. to )
mi Ifot /, :,