The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-17
a ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BIZ.

It is understood that it is the p1rpose Of
the republicans TO pass a reapDOrtionmeut
bill at this session of congress. 1t is known
that such a bill is being prepared and that
Mr.. Porter, the superintendent Of the
census. is being urged u hurry up the work
Of counting the returns So that it will be
possible 10 know by Aug. Is exactly what
the number of the population of the country
is. The reason for this extraordinary haste IN
passing a reapDOrtionment bill is that the
republicans xpect to gain quite numt err
of Representatives in the next congress by
il. They believe that the returns will show
that the greatest increase in the population
has been in the republican states of the
west, and, theref re, that reapportionment
will be beneficial chiefly TO their party.
Its not probable that the number of
representatives will be increased. The
number is now, in the estimation of the
ablest men in congress, as large as it ought
to be. According to the present apportion-
ment there is one representativein congress
for every $50, 900 inhabitants. The repub
hcans talk about allowing one representa-
tive for every 10000 inhabitants. If that
of the states would have more representa-
tives than at present. and others would have
fewer Two or three southern states
would gain one representative each, in
IN all probability, while others would lose
one or more each. Quite a number of the
western states, and perhaps two of the
eastern states, would gain one or more rep
resentatives each. The republicans feel
confident that the gains would be almost
wholly in the states which they controlled
at the last national election. 1t is not to be
wondered at, therefore, that they are
anxious for congress to pass a reapportion-
ment bill at this session.
But there is no precedent for such haste
in reapportionment Heretofore the reap
portionment has been made the second year
after the taking of the census, and has not
gone into effect until the third year. The
republicans are so anxious, however, to re-
tain control of the government that they
pay very little regard to precedents.
Speaker Reeds arbitrary rulings show that
this statement is correct.
But if a reapportionment bill should be
passed at this session, would there not be a
rather complicated condition of affairs in
some of the states. The state legislatures
of about all the states do not meet until
after the next congressional elections. If
reapportionment bill should be passed,
therefore, either the legislatures would
have to be called together in extra session
to redistrict their respective states, or else
the states gaining representatives would
have to elect them at large.
But how about those states which would
lose one or more representatives. If a state
which has six representatives, now should
have but five under the new apportionment,
how could the five be elected unless the
state were redis ricted'
1t is evident that reapportionment at
this session of congress would present
several troublesome questions-questions
that could not be easily settled. Perhaps
the republicans will see so many difficulties
in the way of their scheme to increase the
number of republican representatives in the
next congress by passing reapportionment
bill at this session that they will abandon it.