Los Angeles herald., 1892-01-08
SOMETHING APRoPos OF GERRY
MANDER" TALK.

The Republican press and statesmen,
and politicians of high and low degree,
find it very difficult to see any good in
anything Democrats do anywhere. Just
now their principal dissatisfaction is
found in what is transpiring in the state
of New York. As Governor Flower re-
marked in his inaugural message, this is
the first time in many years that all
portions of the government of that state
have been in unison. This happy cir
cumstance affords an opportunity for
rectifying wrongs of long standing.
There is talk of contemplated gerry
Wandering when the Democrats show a
disposition to take the census which the
state constitution prescribes in express
terms, and provision for the taking of
which is made obligatory uponthe legis-
lature. 1t is assumed that this is for the
purpose of Democratic gerrymander.
On the contrary, its undoubted effect
will be to counteract the most unjust
gerrymander, and the most long contin-
ued, that has been known in the history
of the United States. In 1850 and again
in 1890 the complaint was widespread
that the southern portion of New
York, and particularly New York
city, were glaringly discrimin-
ated against. The registration Of
both New York and Brooklyn has shown
that both of these cities, and the coun-
ties in which they are situated, have
been grossly wronged by federal census
takers. The fact has been open and
notorious. The extent to which the
state has been gerrymandered has been
demonstrated beyond cavil by the fact
that, with the exception of the Tidal
Wave year of 1874, the Democrats, no
matter what their popular majority
may have been, have been unable to
elect a senator OF the United States.
The Tidal Wave gave them Francis
Herman. The tremendous victory of
last iall year ago gave them David
Bennett Hill; and the decisive triumph
of last fall, when Flowers majority
was $4,000, will give them Democratic
successor to Hiscock. Thus, as a re-
suit of an elaborate and well planned
gerrymander, that party has been able
to control the whole representation of
the great state of New York for nearly
forty years with the exceptions named.
AS matter of fact, during that long
period, the Democratic party has only
had one United States senator, for SEN
ator Hill has only just taken the oath,
while the Democratic successor to Mr..
Hiscock has not yet been elected. So
much for gerrymandering.
Then there is great clamor amongst
the Republicans of the professional po-
litical order because it is supposed that
the Democrats are about to seat four
Democratic contestants for seats in the
New York senate. Doubtless if this
action is taken it will be on sufficient
warrant. Democrats have been charac-
terized by judgment and extreme mod
Grafton in all actions of this kind. A
little "Reminiscences may be useful to our
Republican contemporaries. When the
Fiftieth congress opened there were
eight contested elections. The Demo-
cratic majority, with tull power to do as
they pleased, did not seat one of the
contestants. In every case they allowed
the Republican sitting member to retain
his seat.
Now look on this picture and on that
When the Fifty-6rst congress opened
the Republicans had slender majority
of four. This they were determined to
Increase at all hazards. There were
sixteen contests. To carry - the au-
tocratic purposes Of SpeaB& Reed
it was necessary that there should
be good working majority. Dis
regarding the conservative course OF
the Democrats in the preceding congress,
the Republican axe began to descend
and was kept at work until the Repub-
Ii canmajority was swollen to sixteen.