Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-12-16
DANGERS OF THE GERRYMANDER.
System of Redistricting Threatening the
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Governments Foundation.
An election implies a body of electors having
prescribed qua liticatiOns, each one of whom has
an equal value and influence in determining
the result. So when Che constitution provides
that leach state shall appoint (elecD sin such
manner as the legislature thereof may direct,
a number of electors" etc., an unrestricted
power was not given to the legislatures in the
selection of the methods to be used. "a Tepub-
Gcan form of government is guaranteed by the
constitution to each state, and the power given
by the same instrument to the legislatures OF
the states to prescribe methods for the choice by
the state OF electors must be exercised under
that limitation. The essential features of such
a, government are the right of the people to
ticable equality of value in the suffrages given
in determining that choice
1t will not be claimed that the power given to
the legislature would support law providing
that the persons receiving the smallest vote
should be the electors, law that all the
electors should be chosen by the voters OF a
single congressional district. The state is to
choose, and under the pretense Of regulating
methods, the legislature can neither vest the
right of choice elsewhere nor adopt methods
cOnformable to republican institutions. 1t is
not my purpose here to discuss the question
whether choice by the legislature or by the
voters of equal single districts is a choice by
the state, but only to recommend such regula-
ton of this matter by constitutional amend
ment will secure uniformity and prevent
that disgraceful partisan jugglery to which
such liberty Of choice, If it exists, offers
temptation.
Nothing just now is more important than to
provide every guaranty for the absolutely fair
and tree choice by an equal suffrage, within the
respective states, of all the officers of the nation
al government, whether that suffrage is applied
directly, as in the choice Of members OF the
House of Representatives, or Indirectly as in
the choice of senators and electors of President
Respect for public officers and obedience to law
will not cease to be the characteristics of our
people until our elections cease to declare the
will of major1ties fairly ascerta1ned, without
fraud, suppression or gerrymander. If | were
called upon to declare wherein our chief ma
I
ton, in the overthrow OF majority control by
the suppression or perversion of the popular
suffrage. That there is a real danger here all
must agree, but the energies of those who see it
have been chiefly expended in trying to fix re-
sponsib1l1ty upon the opposite party, rather
than In efforts to make such practices impossi-
BILE by either party.
Is it not possible now to adjourn that inter-
minable and inconclusive debate whilewe take,
by consent, one step in the direction of reform
by eliminating the gerrymander which has
been denounced by all parties an influence
in the selection of electors of President and
members of Congress? All the states have act
ing freely and separately, determined that the
choice of electors by general ticket is the
wisest and safest method, and it would seem
there could be no objection to constitutional
amendment making that method permanent. If
q legislature chosen in one year upon purely
contest, meet re.cind the law for choice
upon general ticket, and provide Tor the
choice of electors by the legislature, and this
trick should dsteEntas Rf result i is not too 90
AuCH W say Ludt tAc puUAlC pcuCS LIB A' Do
seriously and widely endangered.
have alluded to the ''gerrymander" as affect
ing the method of selecting electors of Presi-
dent by congressional districts, but the primary
intent and effect of this form of political rob-
berry have relation to the selection of members
of the House of Representatives. The power Of
Congress is ample to deal with this threatening
and intolerable abuse The unfailing test of
sincerity in election reform will be found in a
Willingness to confer as to remedies and to put
into force such measures as will most effectually
preserve the right of the people to free and