Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-16

Inc NTH clause compels the certifying
boards of each State to include in their GER
tncates OF election of Representatives STATE
ment TO the effect that all the foregoing pro-
VISIONS OF the law have been complied with.
And an important provision is also made TO
the effect that in case of failure or refusal
of the proper certifying board to sign the
certificate of election OF any representative
in Congress, the Clerk of the House, In
making the roll of the next succeeding
House, shall receive the returns OF the local
canvassing boards or officers as sufficient:
The object of this last clause is to offset
a move of the Ohio Democrats, who have
proposed to change the makeup OF the he
turning Board, which is at present COM
posed of the Governor, Secretary OF State
and Attorney General, so that it shall con-
sist OF the Lieutenant Governor and the
Speaker of the House, all of whom are
Democrats. The Returning Board thus
constituted would not comply with the pro-
visions of the law, if the McComas bill
passes, in the case of members elected from
gerrymandered districts, and the Clerk OF
the House would then receive the returns
from the local canvassing boards.
SAVED BY BUCHANAN.
The probable passing OF the McComas bill
the SOuSEGSS maui buC BLU
alton appear as though the recent Demo-
cratic victory in Ohio would be deprived of
any lasting advantage, and the Ohio Demo-
Gratis were correspondingly disheartened.
Every move of theirs on the political chess
board had been successfully checked by the
Republicans At this juncture State Sena-
tor Buchanan came forward with bill pro-
viding for change in the method of elect
ing Presidential electors. According TO this
measure 2 of the Presidential electors in
Ohio are to be elected at large, while the
other 81 are to be elected from the Con-
gressional districts.
The advantages offered by this measure
were at once appreciated and Mr.. Buchanan
was hailed as deliverer by his Democratic
colleagues Even the Republicans admit
that the State Legislature is the only power
which can specify the manner of electing
Presidential electors. The effect calculated
to be produced by this Buchanan bill can be
briefly described.
THE EXACT SITUATION.
In case the McComas bill becomes
law and the next National House
of Representatives is Republican, the
Congressional delegation from Ohio
will consist of 16 Republicans
and five Democrats, as at present, but in the
electoral college there will be Is Democrats
from Ohio, out of the %, by electing them
from the districts as gerrymandered under
the recent act of the Legislature.
If on the other hand, the next
National House of Representatives is
Democratic. the Democrats will have
q Representatives in Congress and still 15
electors in the Electoral College. This re-
suit will be attained by the fact that the
Democratic candidates will run in the new
gerrymandered districts and in the old ones
as well, while the Republicans will run
only in the old districts
If the National House is Democratic the
members elected from the new districts will
be seated If it is Republican, the Republicans
from the old districts will get their seats,
the Democrats retaining their present rep
resentation. So, by the operation of the
Buchanan bill, it is calculated that what
ever party may be successful in the strug-
gle for the next House, the Ohio Demo-
Gratis will come out ahead.
The next Legislature in Ohio is to be
elected 10 1891 and the Republicans say
that they will then certainly regain their
lost control and will repeal the Buchanan
bill. Against the possibility of such an
event the present Legislature propose to
gerrymander the State Senatorial districts
so as to assure them the control of that
branch of the next Legislature. And as it
requires a concurrent resolution of both
Houses to repeal law, this proposition of
the Republicans will be efiectually blocked.
THE DEMOCRATS AHEAD.
At present, therefore, in the exciting race
between the Ohio Legislature and the
Lower House of Congress for political ad-
vantage the Legislature is just trifie
ahead. An effort has been made to ascer-
tain from the Ohio members of Congress
promises to he of so much Importance
to their State. The expressions OBJ
tanned vary greatly, many of them being in
strict opposition to the passage of any such
law. Opinions have also been obtained
from members of the committee on the
election of President and Vice President
and members of Congress to which the bill
was referred for consideration and report.
While the bill has met with much favor
from the Republicans, its support among
them is not by any means unanimous, and
not even all of the Ohio members stand by
it, as will be seen from the following inter
views. One of the first persons approached
was Senator Sherman, who said: Il would
like to oblige THE DISPATCH, but don't
care to say anything about the McComas
bill at present, even in a general way. l
have, of course, examined it, but it will
come up before us here, you know, and until
then prefer to say nothing"
M'KIELEY AGAINST IT.
81 am not in favor of these temporary ex-
said Representative McKinley,
i'they do not rise to the plane of broad
and, in my opinion, are
liable to effect badly the party that uses them.
7 IL r
of the McComas bill, which is simply in
ended to bridge over the period between
now and the new apportlonment which is to
iollow the coming census"
fI am not in favor of anv such BILL" said
Butterworth, of Cincinnati,
unless the National Government will un-
lertake first to correct the abuses already
Existing in other States. 1t is simply ap-
,ealing from one partisan body to another
don't believe that State Legislature is
yoing to do anything more violently parti-
ian than you will find the House of Repre-
willing to do. 1 don't see why
we should fasten either the blessings or the
curses which may already exist upon State
10 that they may never be altered. The Ma
ional Government must first undertake to
-edistrict the entire country on fair basis
before passing such law as this"
81 don't see hattEere is any Constitutional
objection to our passing such law" was
he comment Of Judge Ezra B. Taylor, of
Warren, but doubt whether it would be
rood policy. am not in favor of Congress
passing measures to affect merely local issues
ind local emergencies. That's how 1 feel
It present, but it remains to see what is done
,ut in Ohio. l may then change my
7iews.'
GRosvERNoR's OPINION.
s'I would vote for ii" said General Gros-
yenor, of Athens, although 1 do not think
t SO opportune as it would be if it came
Lfter the next apportionment following the
l.: 6 in Il.