Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-21

century the reapportionments had been made
under republican auspices aud IL is needless TO
say that in many instances the reapportion-
ments were artistically performed 30 rs TO IN
ure to the future benefit, Of the party. The
democratic. however, bad always taken their
medicine with as good grace a. could be ex-
pected and never thought Of questioning the
authority OF the legislature to do a. it pleased
In laying out the plans for the new
uraliy somewhat considerste Of The fu-
ture interests Of the democracy. Accord
ing TO the reapportionment enactments
as finally passed the democrats were sure of
eiecting the big share Of the Congressman, and
the Legislative and senatorial situation was from
their point OF view greatly simplified. The
republicans appealed to the supreme court last
spring to set aside the legislative and senatorial
enactments as ''gerrymander.r In August
the court handed down . unanimous decision
setting the enactment aside, and at the same
time declaring that the republican enactments
Of IS were no better than the democratic. The
court further intimated that the euactmsuts Of
81 would not stand q too close scrutiny, vet
unless a special session Of the legislature was
called to do the work over again ordered the
election to be held under the laws Of 81. An
extra session was called by Gov winans, and in
three days new reapportionments were agreed
upon by both democrats and republicans and
given immediate effect by an almost unani-
nous vote Of both houses. The republicans
were unable to gain any comfort from this. be-
cause the court held their acts as bad q the
democratic.
The minority representation defeat was the
irst OF the disasters which the republicans me;
with. Then came the loss of the state officers
ana OF the house Of Representatives. Careless
ness lost them the state senate beyond recovery.
The decision Of the supreme court in the Dick
inson county case was blow to them. The
decision Of the court in the reapportionment
IN nat fhnyr, arolx h. A..
Gratis. The final decision sustaining the Miner
law Is the last set back they have received and
1t lie the worst Of all and the most far-reachinR
in its effects. If the republicans had accepted
the Miner law as it passed they could have made
the woods ring in denouncing the democratic
iniquity, and might have made the
people believe that ii a most wicked and in
furious law. They could have used it a. o cam
paign scarecrow and it would have been looked
upon with suspicion and distrust not only in
Michigan. but in other states ~ we'll As soon
as the state supreme court had passed upon the
enactment sustaining it it ceased to be an in
lqulty, but became q law instead, and such
commanded respect and consideration. Now
comes the decision OF the United States Su-
preme Court giving the law the sanction Of the
highest tribunal in the land and the law thus
ceases TO be an experiment. If the next legis-
lature is republican the Miner law will be re-
pealed, but it will be repealed only SO long as
the republicans remain in power and doubtless
its provisions will be copied by other states
where the vote is close. In taking the law ia
the courts at all the republicans put their foot
In and they now acknowledge they made blum
der. but it is too late to help it, The law really
has much to commend IL. 1t brings the cleo
ton OF President closer to the people and is as
near to an election by direct vote it is posi-
BILE to make it under the Constitution, and az
such 1t is approved by the reformers and agita-
tors generally.