Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-29
MEMBERS IN THE NEXT HOUSE.
1t VIII Take Five Times as Many Voters "a
Biect Them rs One Hundred Years Ago.

MEMBERS IN THE NEXT HOUSE.
1t VIII Take Five Times as Many Voters Il
hiecf Them as One Hundred Years Ago.
CURIOUS WAYS IN WHICH THE cENTERs or Po-
LETIcAL POWER HAVE SHIFTED WITHIN TIE
LAST oENTuRY-wHY VIRGINIA n NO LONGER
TIE MOTHER OF PREsIDENrs.
Each ten years it take a greater number OF
American citizens to make Representative in
Congress. The reapportionment bill, if it is
passed at the next session Of the national legis-
lature, as favorably reported at the last session
from the committee on the eleventh census, will
make it law that there shall be only one men,
Der in the lower House for $50, 900 citizens Of
age TO vote in the country. state, to be en-
titled to two representatives, must have at
least $50. 600 inhabitants, and 80 on proportion
ately. This is great change within 100 years.
II the number Of voters required to make a
member were the same now as a century ago
there would be about LOO Representatives in
Congress at the present time. A body of such
proportions would be an unmanageable mob,
such as even Speaker Reed could not control.
Therefore, to prevent the House from becom-
ing overgrown, after each census O fresh ap-
portionment is made, the constituency requi-
THE GROWTH OF REPRESENTATION.
In the year 1900 one member sat in the house
for each So, 800 voters. This number was in
creased in 1910 to $1,000, in 1920 to 10000 and
in 1880 to 200. The reapportionment bill Of
lo4O declared that there should only be one
representative for every 7O,6s0 voters. Ten
years later this number was raised to IS. 40,
and in 1860 it took another big Jump to 1877 900.
1t went up but slightly at the end Of the next
decade, being made 131 ,425 in 1870, but in 1880,
after the last census. it rose to ISL, 912. The
proposition offered this Congress to make every
10000 voters in the United States entitled to
one Representative is, of course. based upon
the result recently got together by the eleventh
census under Superintendent Porter.
IL is very curious to observe how the centers
OF political power have moved, geographically
speaking, within the last one hundred years.
After the first census, taken in 1890. Connecticut
had members, Massachusetts IA members,
New Hampshire members. Rhode Island 2
members, Delaware / member, Pennsylvania
IA members, New York 10 members, New Jer-
sey 5 members, Virginia 10 members, North
Carolina 10 members, South Carolina 6 men,
bers, Maryland members. Georgia members.
At the same time Kentucky was admitted to the
Union with members, Tennessee was admitted
with member and Vermont, which had pre-
viously been part of New York territory, was
admitted with members.
THE wHIRLIGIa OF TIME.
Observe the relative strength of Virginia and
New York, the former having nineteen Repre-
sentatives to the latter's ten. Those were the
days when Virginia received the name of
Mother of Presidents" She was such for the
obvious reason that she was great pivotal state
with people ofgreat wealth and the brightest men
in the country. New YOrk's present political
status was hers then. Now New York has
thirty-four members and Virginia only ten.
fOp,Iy -I,n%n -
those figures
But something even more interesting than
this Is to be found in the actual loss by certain
New England states Of representation. Massa-
chusetts. which had as many as twenty mem
bers In Congress in 1910. lost seven Of them in
1920, still another in 1880, two more in 1910, and
now has only twelve Representatives. New
Hampshire, which had six members in the
lower house in 1920 has gradually come down to
two. Maine, which was admitted in 1920 with
seven members, has only four of them left
while little Rhody has only the two members
she began with. Thus it is seen that the power
to sway the affairs of the nation has steadily
left New England.
It seems very funny, by the way, to see
little state like Nevada, with only one repre-
sentative. and yet having two Senators in Con-
gress. who have as much to say in legislative
affairs as the two Senators from the empire
state OF New York. But it must be remembered
that while the members of the lower house are
elected to represent the people the Senators
represent the states in their corporate capacity.
The states collectively making up the Union all
stand upon an equality and each one must
necessarily have the same representation in the
sense mentioned.
IN THE OLD DAYS.
In the old days, when Virginia was the
mother Of Presidents, the United States may
be said to have been composed of New Eng
land the eastern middle states and VIRGINIA
Most people are not aware that Ohio admitted
in 1902 was made from territory coded by Vir-
ginia. Illinois likewise, admitted in 1918, was
up to that date part of Virginia's soil. In
diana, admitted in 1916 was Virginia's gift.
Kentucky was coded by Virginia and thus made
into separate state as early as 1892. Likewise
Michigan came into the Union in 1887, having
been part of Virginia.
The new reapportionment bill, which it is
proposed to make law, will leave the repre-
sentation of the New England states unaltered.
Ohio and Virginia. however, will each lose one
member. Alabama, California, Colorado Michi-
gan, Missouri, New Jersey, Oregon. Texas,
Washington and Wisconsin will each gain one
member. Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas and Penn
vania will each gain two members and Mime
sofa and Nebraska will each gain three mem
bers If this bill becomes law the member
ship Of the House of Representatives will be in
creased by twenty-four, making its entire list
354.