St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-11-09
THEY WILL AProRTIoN.

1t is intimatcd that when the presI-
dent RECEIVERS from the shock of his late
visit 10 indianapolis to vote, and the
other ballot dropping On that day, he
will call special session of congress i'll
order that it may have more time to in
sure the passage of the apportionment
bill by the present body. 1t is one of
the insists of the generally very we'll
arranged legislative system that the
congress the people have, sulphur
ously speaking, consigned to his sa-
tanic majesty. is still in the full piano.
ply of power. There may be quaking
and blanching as the individuals look
gu upon the party wrecks. but the party
strength is unbroken, and there NAV be
continuous defiance of the popular
roar until the 4th of hext March,
The rational thing would be for
the new congress, fresh from the
people, TO come on duty at once in
place of waiting year. But the body
capped by the portly and assertlve gem
tleman from Maine will be exceedingly
busy in its further brief career This
apportionment will lie the most indus
pensable task before them. The prece-
dents would leave this work for the
next congress. The last apportion-
ment, under the census of 1880, was not
passed until February, 1882. But
political emergency has expedited the
labor of Mr.. PORTER, and the figures of
The census are already furnished for
this purpose. The usual method, and
"a 1n frfi
this case, is just to agree pretty nearly
upon the size of the house and
Then divide the aggregate popu-
lation by this number for the
ratio. This Will give the mini
mum. Then the states that have GER
lain fraction of excess will be assigned
an additional member. The bill pre-
pared by Mr.. DUNNELL, of this state,
as chairman of the house census COM
mittee, proposed 10 make 10000 the
ratio, going up from 152,C00. But this
was framed Oh the theory that Mr..
PORTER would come much nearer TO
counting all the people than he has.
The territories and the District of Col
umbia are not considered. The census
figures of the states are 6l,T 1862.
DUNNELL divides this by $50, and finds
that he has but S43 members. only 4
more than the present number. This
ratio, then. must be abandoned, in view
Of the 2,ee0,G00 shortage in population,
because it will reduce by one the del
egations from New York, Ohio,
Kentucky. Virginia. South Carroll
ia, and perhaps one or two other
states. They Will not consent to
his. No ratio above $4,000 will
save all the Republican states from
oss, and the ratio will now be
greater than that. This is estimated
10 give house of 353 members, after
lllotting seventeen for fractions. Min
aesota will have seven members under
This ratio, with fraction of nearly half
! ratio, but probably not sufficient to
secure an additional member. There
ire five states with less population than
ratio, but they are, of course, entitled
20 a member. Under this there is an
Increase of six and loss of two i'm the
Southern states. Those that have been
counted Republican gain seventeen and
lose none. This is where the possibill.
lies of partiSanship come in in the ap-
portionment. The ratio must be made
iust such as will afford the best allot-
nents in the fractions. 1t is mainly
task for the experts IN mathemat-
cS. There is enough in it to make
of the first moment for the party in
.ontrol of the house to complete the
work at the coming session. There is
II additional point that. in the light of
he politics of a good many incoming
legislatures, will receive special atten-