The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-01-13

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,, lSOU.
a century old, its first session having been
held at New York in March, 1883. But for
nearly twenty-four years before that we
had continental congress and colonial
congress.
The colonial congress met in New York
Oct. Z, 1765, and had only about twenty-five
members representing nine colonies. The
continental and confederation congresses
continued from 1774 to 17ss, when, the con-
stitution having been ratified, the federal
congress superseded the latter. The con-
tinental congress had but forty-eight mem
bers all told, and Massachusetts Bay, be-
ing then the most populous colony, had
the greatest number of representative
six-while little Delaware, which can now
muster but one congressman, had then
three members, and the present Empire
state of New York had only four. Now,
every reader of this letter knows how the
old continental congress was beaten about
from pillar to post by the exigencies of those
troublous times. 1t held sessions sue
cessively at Philadelphia, Baltimore, Phil
adelphia, Lancaster, York, Philadelphia,
Princeton and Annapolis.
The first federal congress, which first met
at New York, on April4, 1889 had only sixty
FIVE members representing the thirteen
original states. Though Rhode Island came
in just before it ended, Virginia had the
greatest number of representatives-10-
Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, each,
New York and Maryland 6 each, the two
Carolinas and Connecticut each. This
was the representation provided by the
constitution. Under the census of 1890
congress created house of representatives
of los members, in which Virginia re-
tanned the largest number of any of the
fifteen states represented, Kentucky and
Vermont having been admitted to the
Union. 1t is a curious fact that whereas
the mother of presidents had 10 members
of congress in that decade, Pennsylvania
13 and Massachusetts IA, New York had
only as many as North Carolina, or TO-
Even Connecticut had within three of as
many represen tatives as New York.
But in the following decade New York
showed wonderful growth. Cnder the
census of 1900 two more states, Kentucky
and Tennessee, were brought into the fold,
and though the ratio of representation re-
manned the same as under the previous
census-33, 900 population per member-the
total number of members was increased
lead at %, and Pennsylvania second place
with IS, but New York left North Carolina
behind and tied Massachusetts for third
place with II.
1t was between 1900 and 1910 that New
York assumed first rank in the sisterhood
of states. The census of the latter year
gave her % representatives, while proud
Virginia fall to %, tie with Pennsylvania
for second place. Massachusetts was
fourth with 20, and North Carolina fifth
with Is. Under this census the ratio of
representation was increased to $1,000,
and the total plumber of members was ISL,
one new stare-Ohio having been ad-
mitted.
Between 1910 and 1920 larger number
of new states was admitted than in any
other decade in the history of the country.
The great west was just beginning to teen
with hardy pioneer population, and In
diana, Illinois, Mississippi, Louisiana, Mis-
souri,, Alabama and Maine came in, max