Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-01-09
THE APP0RTIoNMENT CRIME

of the thing, saying nothing of the
violation Of the constitution, which
every legislator took an oath to
support. The constitution says the
Legislature shall apportion the dis
tricts according to population, and
for this requires the apportionment
to be made always Immediately
after a census has been taken. Is a
district where six persons are not
equal TO one person IN another,
apportioned according TO popu-
! lation? And the constitution says
the districts shall be "compact.'
Look at the assembly and senatorial
districts, on the map where Grant
county il interested. Can any man
who figured in the division, look at
the map and think Of the word
compact" and not blush i'll very
shame? See the Southern district
run, like wedge, right up through
the middle of the northern district!
If convention Is held near the
center of the northern district, some
of it's people will travel nearly the
whole length north and south
through the southern district, III
order to reach it. If convention
is held in its most populous town,
people from Glen Haven would
have to travel clear across the mid
die of the southern district to
attend it--this in the face Of the
constitutional requirement that the
territory shall be conveniently con
tiguous. And look how the sena.
torial district is chawed up! "Com-
pact" is it? What could be more
ridiculous than such division? There
is only one answer. 1t is like the
plantation darky's conuudrum:
"Sambo, can you tell me what makes
more noise than n pig squealin'
under a gate?" "No, Pete; what am
it makes more noise than pig
squealin' under a gate?" "Why,
you fool! two pigs squealin' under
gate" So it is with the abominabe
act of the Legislature in hagglng
up districts in and around Grant
county There is nothing that San
be con ceiyed Of as worse or more
ridiculous, unless it be other of its
divimons.
Common sense, common deconcy,
gift of the common proprietes
men owe TO each other, would have
led those deSpoilers to place Grant
county all in one senatorial district,
instead of parceling it out into
tail pieces to four other counties
into unnatural, unassociationa6le,
and announcement districts-even if
they were not ur der sworn obi
CATION 10y The constitution to
observe county lines in filing the
boundaries of districts. The map
does not show it fully, but part of
Grant county is made tail to q
senatorial district with Richland
and Crawford counties, and another
part is curly dog-tail to a district
composed mainly of Iowa and
/ Lafayette counties.
Il is no concern to The Teller
what party did this foul work. 1t
should have nothing but denunoi-
alton from any man who deserves
the privilege Of an elective franchise
from any man fit to live in a re-
public, no matter by what party
effected. If such thing were
done by any party before, they Of
the opposite party were crayens If
they did not resent the outrage.
And they make themselves knayes
to-day who undertake to justify it
ON such grounds.-LUeaster Teller
/ (Md)
This plain, sharp and cutting re.
buke Of the Democratic legislatures
actions which The Teller deals OUT
in behalf Of Grant county is just
and proper. Fully as strong terms
of cor domination are required to
express the disgust Of the people Of
Iowa county over the manner IN
] l.,