Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1892-01-29
Stealing" a State.
Seattle Telegraph.

In the State of New York there was
a Democratic plurality of more than
AZ 900 votes. Owing to the manner i'll
which the apportionment OF Legislative
districts was made years ago, the Re-
publicans were enabled to elect nearly
half the members of the legislature, in
spite of the large Democratic plurality.
Several districts were thrown into dis
pute, in the hope of overcoming Dem
ocratic control of the Senate. Govern
or Hills firmness and activity prevent
ed the success of two or three cases of
arranged counting-in. The cry was
then raised that the governor was act
ing unfairly. Both parties agreed to
take the disputed cases to the highest
court in the State and TO abide by its
decision. In deciding one of the cases
it happened that the judges were di-
vided as they are in political opinion ;
in tho other case they were not. The
result was favorable to the pretentions
of the party which had nearly $4,000
plurality in the State, and now that
party, even under the unfair apportion-
ment which has for years initiated
against it, has small majority in each
branch of the legislature, scheme to
block the organization of the Senate
having failed-a scheme, by the way,
which was in violation of the agree
ment to abide by the decision OF the
court. Now, in spite of this condition
of things, certain organs are keeping
up the hypocritical cry that Governor
Hill has "stolen the State" One has
just been guilty of saying that the SEN
ate has been captured through the
disgraceful partisan decision of judi
cial tribunal" This shameful asser-
ton has, We are glad to say, been made
by only one paper, so far as we have
observed.
Now, take the case Of Connecticut.
By an antiquated system Of electing
officers in that State majority of all
the votes cast is necessary to success,
and by the method of apportionment
the minority party often gets control
of one branch of the legislature. At
the last election the Democrats had a
handsome plurality of several thousand
more votes than the Republicans, and
small majority of all the votes cast {;
but the Republicans obtained major,
ity OF the members of the lower house
of the legislature. The law requires
that the two houses shall jointly cam
vass the returns and declare the result.
The Republican managers claimed that
in certain precincts some votes had
been thrown out which should have
been counted, and under their advice
the lower house refused to canvass the
vote, and finally adjourned and went
home, without the concurrence OF the
Senale-a thing in itself revolutionary.
Governor Bulkeley's term had expired,
and not one vote had been cast for his
reelection, but he claimed to hold over
until the result had been canvassed
and declared by the two houses. One
or two of the Democratic candidates
for State offices had clear majorities
which could not be disputed on any
pretext; but these, also, were kept out
OF office, the old administration holding
over, although their partisans at the
polls were in minority of several
thousand votes. After many vexatiou:
delays the matter was got before the
supreme court of the State, which has
Just made its decision. 1t is thai
Bulkeley rightfully holds over. The
court does not attempt to touch the
point whether Morris, the Democratic
candidate, had majority of all tn,
votes cast for the four candidates fo
governor, but holds that he was no
elected in view of the law, becaus,
the lower house of the legislature hat
mot declared him elected, and that sucl