Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1891-03-06
THE PROPOSED APPORrIONMENT.
[From Bismarck Tribune

T. InoEOSED AffOnl1 VI EN- L.
[From Bismarck Tribune.l
When the constitutional convention
fixed the number of senatorial districts
it was feared that the people of the state
would object to so large body as was
finally determined upon, because the
larger the body, the more expensive
becomes the legislative sessions. Now
scheme is proposed to increase the
size of the legislature one.sixth, or from
81 senatorial districts to 38 districts.
This would add from $4,000 to $4,000
to the cost of the legislative sessions.
The question naturally arises, why this
increase?
The TRIBUNE doesn't know exactly
on what basis the bill now before the
senate was gotten up, but there are some
very peculiar features in it. The
TRIBUNE happens to have the vote of
every township in the state cast at the
last general election, and the table pub
lished herewith is an object lesson that
may be of some interest to the men,
bers who have this bill to deal with.
A glance at the vote cast in some pro-
posed districts as compared with that
cast IN other proposed districts, and the
proposed representation to be given
hereafter, will doubtless cause a
smile of satisfaction, or disgust-as the
case may be-to linger somewhere about
the facial countenance
By this bill seven members are added
to the senate and only nine to the house.
Why this discrimination against the rop-
ular branch of the legislature?
There are in round numbers 1888 1000
people in the state, and there we're cast at
the last election in round figures $4,000
votes-a little over five persons for each
voter.
The proposed bill not only discrimin-
ates against sections, but discrlmi-
mates against COL tiguous districts. For
instance, in the proposed First district,
the home of Jud LaMoure, 1923 votes were
cast and the bill gives the district SEN
ator and 2 representatives. In the Sec-
ond district, adjoining, only 40 less votes
were cast, yet it is given but 1
member of each house. The Fifth
district (Grafton) cast 1,041 votes, but she
gets no more representation, than Captain
McCormack's district that cast but 4S9
votes. It takes 1,1O8 votes in the
Wahpeton district in Richland county to
get the same representation as the dis
tricts from Cass county north get with
from 500 to 900 votes, and even the other
district (Eighteenth) in Richland has
the same representation and cast but 889
votes. Then comes the Nineteenth dis
trict Sargent county, with 1,164 votes
only one senator and two represent
atives just the same as northern dis
tricts with half to two-thiros the vote.
Ransom (Twentieth) with 1,O74 votes,
Steele and Griggs CTwenty-second) with
1855 votes, Ramsey (Twenty- -third) with
1852 votes-only one senator and two
representatives each. Eddy, Foster and
Wells (Twenty-elghth) cast 1,1O1 votes,
but all three counties are given no more
representation than three wards and a
few townships in Grand Forks, where
less than 500 votes we're cast. Then
there is Stutsman, the proposed Twenty
ninth district, casting nearly 1000 votes,
but getting one senator and two repre-
sentatives only; and Dickey county
tThirty-frst) with 1852 votes-one
and two - just the same as Penn
bina, Walsh and Grand Forks dis
tricts, where only half to two-t thirds the
number of votes are cast. Emmons,
Kidder and Logan are put in one dis
trict CThirty- -third). These counties cast
l,02O votes and they are given but one
member in each house-just think of it
one member in each house-while other
districts-even Mcintosh adjoining
get l and 2 on little over one-half the
vote. Morton, Oliver and Mercer con-
stitute the proposed Thirty fourth dis
trict and cast 1,127 votes, but they get
only l and 2; Burleigh ditto with 1852
votes. And there is Bottineau and Nc
Hen y (Twenty-sixth) casting 1903
votes, but only allowed 1 and q.
The Stark county district and the
Ward and Mclean. county dis.
trict each cast over 600 votes.
They are given member in each house,
while eight other districts in the state are
given l senator and 2 representatives
on less than $50 more votes.
That will hardly do.
No end to the odious comparisons that
might be made.
For instance, Walsh county cast 3,O76
votes and Grand Forks 800, yet, under
this bill, Walsh gets but 3 senator's and 6
representatives, while Grand Forks gets
senators and representatives.
Dickey county cast 1852 votes, Stuts-
man cast 1,l63 votes, Eddy, Foster and
Wells cast 1,1O1, Ramsey cast 1,152 votes,
Steele and G1iggs cast 1885 votes, Nor
ton, Oliver and Mercer cast 1,127 votes.