The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-04
TO STOP GERRYMANDERING.

huu CuEE0uCys
TO STOP GERRYMANDERING.
The MeComas Bill FavornbIy Reported TO
the House-It Proposes TO Take from tho
states n Right Exercised by Them Since
the Adoption OF tho Constitution.
WASHINGTON. May 3.-Representative Nc
Comas Of Maryland to-day reported to the
House. from the Committee on the Election OF
President. Vice. President and Representatives
in Congress. his bill to prevent gerrymander-
ing The report Is long, and includes an elab-
crate review and discussion OF the constitu-
tional questions involved. 1t says:
Tho history OF the Constitution shows con-
clusively that the Representatives in Congress
were to represent population. equal popula-
ton: that a census OF population was to be
made every ten years; that Congress was to
apportion representatives among the several
States according 10 such census Of population,
and to exercise the same power but once in
each decade. The discussion by the fathers
shows that the census was established. not. as
Is now assumed, to advance knowledge, but
solely to give to Congress the basis for new ap-
portionment OF Representatives once every ten
years. The result expected was that such Rep
resentaIives would represent equal population.
and that the basis OF representation would be
tween each decennial census. The State Leg
islatures have made members Of Congress
grossly unequal representatives Of the people.
according TO their numbers.' In Mississippi
one Congress district has 125. 1853. another 1885,
sos; In California one district has 1883 per-
sons, another has 264.608 persons. In New
YORK ono district has los. $40. another has 49,
ss9 persons. In federal legislation the repre-
sentative Of 1885 persons In Michigan has
like power with the representative OF 273.SS9
persons in New York.
In place Of the stability provided by the
Constitution, one political party on gaining
power in State at once overturns the dis
tricts made by its opponents. Frequently the
basis OF representation has been changed In
large States thrice In decade Ohio has been
redistricted four times since the tenth census
and the apportionment Hereunder. On the eve
OF new census. intended by the Constitution
to be basis OF new apportionment and conse-
duenIly redistricting. Ohio and Maryland have
been redistricted three months before the CEN
sus occurs.
light Of recent history. that Congress should
exert It's constitutional power TO restrain these
sa n Snd
tlmidaton or bribery at the elections for Rep
OF the United States has defined the scope Of
this power 10 be Just as Madison and Hamilton
or broadly stated BY the Supreme Court Of the
United states, y Il be plain TO Congress that
ss E8 sbn Of The
equal and stable representation OF the neoDlo
need Of better remedy than the act OF is42
The majority o. the committee believe that
seenqs sa5s and Pew sSu oGe 9,
people IN Congress-. The majority OF the CON-
mittes believe thai CONGRESS- has power TO an
STATE Of the whole United States into Congress
distTicts. but DO not think u eHpedient
The bill feeommsnds . middle course. Il pro.
tsa LS sss. tsS Sss Tie S
opliRuOIs. adjoining. and. Ms far ~ DrHeil.
cable, CONTACT and 40 g population - nearly
he dlSiTictS elSl 10 stable for . decade ~ tho
trainers Of tho GongtItutlop Intended. That
@sn, r. 1 cosSSss sS snS Tie isdssns ~
poStio pSsst 10 SIsiTis 70 remain uGdis.
sasI dssaas lIs 80 Sls,rieis 10 lie siSsss' III
s r ss5 sSsb f1 atSs II 9hS S
dlstFsts n each ~ fhssS btBiS6 are restored ~
ne dIPtrloIlIg nsdg under ibs l.si hlgoiIgI.
ID 10 Stats 70 tbs basis BY gHJoliT iEsSs
con mliisd joel RlnsiT dSyS Ls,
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n syi}f.l y al.sis ~ \ ~ t.siBiss 90,
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.5ss ~. 81 ,s.si ~ ~ 30 s.s ,i,'..g
Iyll.f " az issiI fsbfaaalas besIe "a y
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- = ~ ~ !, ~ 1900 .ss'.y e.
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sasIsssif ssesss esss y - tss5s 81 =.