New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-04
TO STOP GERRYMANDERING.
THE McCoMAs MEASURE SUBMITTED TO
THE HOUSE.
THE NECESSITY FOR THE MEASURE ABLY sho"
IN THE ACCOMPANYING MAJORITY IL
PoRr-vIEws OF THE MINORITY
AND OF Mr.. FRANZ


AND OF Mr.. FRANK
washin gton. May 3.-Representauve "0Oo"o'' -
MARYLAND today reported TO the house' I'm Wv
Committee on the Election Of President NiooTi'9
Cd representatives in Congress- his Dill 10 prevent
""1 dorno The report is long, and includes an
,,.ora,e review and discussion Of the constitutional
Questions involved. 1t says in part;
rho history Of the Constitution shows conciusvely
that the Representatives In Congress were 10 represent
nopulation equal population; that census Vi pop"
t,on was 10 be made every ten years that congress
was TO apportion Representatives among INC se'e"'
e..os according TO such OF population ana 10
exercise the same power but once III e'cn ue'"uo'
The discussion by the fathers shows the census was
established not as is assumed, to advance hho"i
edge but solely to give Congress the BASIS LOT lie"
apportionment of Representatives once every zen
years The result expected that such Representa-
tves would represent equal population, ana 'ha' inc
basis of representation would be stable anu uh0"he0
able by the States between each decellmai cehsuS
The State Legislatures have made members Oh congress
grossly unequal representatives OF the people, ac
corijng 10 their numbers" In Mississippi one COZ
cressionsl district has 125, 76s another, 195o0o III
New York one district has 10o,940; another mas
e13sS9 persons In Federal legislation the Npic
sentative of II 500 in Michigan mas iHe po"o
with the representative OF 213,oo9 persons III Nc"
York. , o.,
In place of the stability provided by the ConSti-
State at once overtuIns the districts maze oy los
opponents. Frequently the basis OF represcn'''i
has been changed in large states thrice In deo"us'
Ohio has been redistricted four times since the At
Census and the apportionment thereunuer' oh Wv
eve of new census intended by the Constitution 10
be a basis OF apportionmcnt, and consequently
1odistrctlng Ohio Maryland have been redsilcten
three months before the census occurs Inc u
fort to restrain the zeal OF political facuoh ny re
puiring that Representatives shall be eIec'ea DS
tnrrifO
restrained the State from sitting the voice OF The
minority party in each State by ingenious gerry
Wandering. Often il is contrved that one voter OF
the majority party equals three voters OF the minority
rartv in eiectiug Representative III congress
in Missouri. compact state. the NlNth congress
sional District. is 240 miles long. and for half it.
length only thrtv-Ave miles wiue. In Mississippi
the lid District is 24O miles long. The other dis
tIicts ntertwine in fantastic shapes. Louisiana
also rivals Mississippi in this regard. The popular
branch of the National Government has been too
much controlled By state Legislatures schemng for
political advantages.
The majority of the committee believe in the light Of
recent history. Congress should its consu
tona power restrain these abuses in redisrctng the
States to first stable and equal representa-
ton Of the people in Congress and then to prevent IN
timidatOn bribery at the elections for Represents
tivcS in Congress. The supreme Court OF the tntcd
States has defined the Of this power to be Just as
Madison and Hamilton and Rufus King expounded H.
Under the power broadly stated by the supreme court
the United states. IL it be plain To Congress That the
uncontrolled dsrictng Of the United states by tho
egs has, during half century degereratcd lnt
conspiracy AGAINST equal and stable representation OF
the people of the United States In Congress- thcre Is
need Of a better remedy than the act Of l84" the
majority Of the committee believe that Congress should
now check these abuses. and secure stable ana cdua
representation Of the people in Congress Inc ma
ioy Of committee believe that Congress has power
10 Eer
of the United states into Congressional districts
but do not think it expedient that Congress should
now district the states. The bill recommends middle
course.
The provisions Of the bill are explained at length
and the report. continuing, says
The supreine Court has apty said II is only De
cause the Congress of the United states through one
habit and years Of forbearace has, IN difference anu
respect to the states, refrained from the exercise Oh
these powers that they now doubted This Dill
announces a mild discretionary control over the man
ner of holding elections for Representatives. con
sisently with the plan make stable for each decahe
the districts in the States, this bill neTiercs 10 aei
such regulations in Ohio and Maryland whereby 1t
happens that the districts in each OF these states are
restored 10 the districtng made under the last ap-
portionmcnt based the last To bring back
all the States this basis, by undoing those gerry
manders committed Just ninety DAYS before the ne"
census. Is consistent and fair to all parties
1t has happened that state Executives or other
the people by certifying wrongly, or refusing to
certify rightly a Representative elected. In thai
case this bill provides that the peoples choice OF
Representative in Congress shall not be defeated ioF
the local canvassing boards or ohcers IN each Stae
whose duty it is to certify the election Of Representa-
tive TO the final state Board required 70 make Ike
returns TO the clerk OF the House Of Representatives
II is only in case OF the failure refusal TO certify
the election OF Representatives in conformity with
this act that such duplicate returns can be used by
the clerk Of the House sufficient certhcat!on Of the
election OF Representative. The argument against
this procedure is similar TO the argument acans'
counting a member present in the House to make a
quorum to do business. Counting members TO MAKE
quorum may possibly be subject to abuse but II
the member performs his duty by voting, such
abuse is alleged can happen. SO II the state
Certifying Board performs its duty, no use OF the re
turns Of the local canvassing board can be had.
In conclusion the report says:
The country grows more anxious to secure fan
elections Congress is justly urged 70 pass National
election laws to guarantee fair voting counting and
return OF the election of Congressman III states nos
tie to the exercise Of the suffrage by GoioTed cuzrc
subject of National election law Is involved IN tf
negro problem. This Anti-GeifN Wandering bill mas
be effective IN the white states where powerful minor
ties Of white voters are today suppress cd oy shame
ful gerrymantcring.
At tic last election for Congressman IN Indiana
for instance the majority vote for Congressman elected
gressncn elected ten Rcpresentauves such gcrryman
dering Is crime against the General Government ana
the people Of the whole Nation This bill viii AT least
compel representation Of the suppressed white minority
IN the white states IL will check reckless gerry man
dcrlng in the states 81 the =" Black belt" and make
II easier for Representatives elected therein to obtain
cerhcatiOn of election. IL Will respect equally state
rights and the rights Of the ' nltcd states. $50
Mr. Tucker. Of Virginia, submitted the report Of tn,
minority. The bill, II says. purports Ia be aimed a
the vicc OF gerTymandcrng, and seeks To cut up by
The root the vicious system, alleged TO be prscce
ly the states: when, In fact II only transfer the
system 90 the National theatre, where lis hlghc,
DEVELOPMENT NAV be witnessed and ~ ripc,t fruit
reaped. II proposes 10 prohibit gerry Wandering by
the states, but Invites IT, adoption by Congress. j
denies 10 the State the right 20 change the districts
for members Of Congress- except once IN ten year
and reserves that right exclusively 20 Congress, 10 h'
exercised AZ It's pleasure upon the demand OF party
exigcncy The practical operation Of such a law
would result I'm system Of corruption abuse Of power
n disregard of the rights and wishes Of the people
before which the iniqutes OF poIuca bosses an,