Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-31
APPORTIONNENT.
Congressman Franks Bill
Passes the Senate.
The Measure Now Awaits the
Presidents Signature.


tionaI House of Representatives Shall
Have 1856 Members-Amendmen to
Increase the Representation from Ger
tain States Voted Down.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 31.-The senate
passed the Frank reapportionment bill
Thursday as it came from the house,
and this assures its enactment into law
by the approval of the president. Mr..
Frank has received great number of
congratulations on the good fortune
which has attended his measure. 1t does
not often happen that member in his
first term succeeds in having the house
and senate adopt his ideas without
change. Neither does it happen
very often that new member pro-
poses bill of such National Importance
as that of Mr. Franks. This bill was
selected from among number of 9th
ers, which makes its worth all the more
marked, and Mr.. Frank has every reason
to be proud of his success, He is young
lawyer and newspaper man from St,
Louis
The Bill Explained
The best explanation of the bill was
given by its author when it was under
consideration in the house. Mr.. Frank
said:
This bill of reapportionment is an
apportionment based upon principles of
fairness, justice and equality The
number determined upon, 356, was
selected as the number of Representatives
to be apportioned among the several
states. according to their respective
numbers, under the language Of the new
constitution. And you will naturally
inquire why this number was selected?
| answer that by saying that | am OPP
posed to increasing the size Of the mem
bership of this house except for one pur-
pose, and one purpose only-that Of pre-
serving without diminutlon the repre-
sentation of every state upon this floor.
This is accomplished by the bill which |
proposed and which has met with the
approval Of the whole committee If
vou go beyond that number no convinc-
ing reason can be given why You should
do so.
The basis of this apportionment is
population Of l73, ,90l for each represent
ative in congress The fraction result
ing from division of this ratio into the
population of each state exceeding the
moiety Of that fraction entities the state
possessing that fraction to an additional
representative,
The right of representation is CON
ferred upon the states, not upon the peo-
pie. 1t Is conferred upon the states and
apportioned among them according to
their respective numbers, The whole
number in all the states being first as
certained, it follows that the faiyest way
to give each state its due quota is to di-
vide the total pOp1lation of that state by
the amount Of the ratio and give to the
state having mOiety Of one-half Of the
ratio an additional representative.
This bill was conceived in a spirit of
fairness, and was prompted by sense
of justice and equity. 1t would have
been within the power of the majority
of the house to have presented bill
which would from partisan stand
point. have given them far greater ad-
vantages measured, of course, by the
success Of the party i'll 1898, Whether
such course would have been just and
proper will leave for others, but as for
myself, in times of peace and quiet,
without any questions dividing the two
great political parties which would in
any way affect the safety or preservation
/
proper apportionment was one which
would give just, fair and equitable
representation of the population of the
entire country, so that there would be
no cultailment Of the representation of
any state, and which at the same time
would give to those states which have
grown in population, and consequently
have diversified interests, that additional
representation which they require.
The senate proceeded to the consider
alton of the apportionment bill as the
unfinished business. Mr., Edmunds ad-
dressed the senate, calling its attention
to one fact, that the bill took no cogni-
zance whatever of the provisions of the
fourteenth amendment to the constitu-
ton, that in case the right of suffrage
be denied or abridged in any state, the
representation of that state shall be de-
minished accordingly.
Amendments were offered to increase
the representation sfrom Arkansas, Mis-
souri,, Minnesota and New York, but all
were defeated.