Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-07-08
DEMOCRATIC TICKET.

Iowa county is made one assembly
county is united with the towns Of
Cassyille, Clifton, Harrison, Haze
jamestown, Liberty, Lima, Paris
Platteville, Potosi, Smelser and Water
loo, of Grant county - district OF
about 6O,725 population. NeighborS
and citizens, how do you like
it
Thus concludes an article in The
Mineral Point Tribune. reviewing the
apportionment law enacted by the
legislature last week. If the entire
state is apportioned as fairly as is
southwestern Wisconsin, the act is
certainly prominently just and right.
Iowa county is made one assembly
district because any greater represen-
tation would be unlawful. In 1887,
Iowa county, being republican, was
allowed, with population of only
22,873, to retain its two members as
formerly, while the democratic county
Of Washington, with 1862 was given
only one member. But section two of
article four Of the state constitution
provides that the number of members
of assembly shall never be more than
one hundred, and that the number of
senators shall not be more than one
third the number of members of the
assembly. The population Of the state
was found, by the census of 1890, to
be 1,686,880. This divided by 100
gives in round numbers 1865 as the
unit of representation in the assembly.
And the Supreme court, in declaring
the apportionment act of 1891 uncon-
stitutional, laid down the following
rule for the guidance Of the legis-
lature:
Each county and each such district
having a population equal to the nu-
merical unit of representation in the
assembly (alleged to be 1865, is en-
titled absolutely to one member Of
assembly, unless it is found necessary
to attach to such county, in the forma-
ton of an assembly district, county
having less than the numerical unit Of
representation. For each multiple of
such numerical unit reached by the
population of any county, such county
is also absolutely entitled to an addit-
ional member Of assembly,"
"The remainder Of the one hundred
members of the assembly, not thus alb
solutely apportioned, should be appor-
toned, on some uniform equitable rule
to an equal number of several coun-
ties, probably to the counties having
the largest fraction of population in
excess of such numerical unit or null
tiple thereof"
Now, in apportioning the state
under this rule, Chippewa county, with
25,143 population, was found to be
the smallest county entitled to two
members; and Iowa county, with her
-, III souls, was, to use a slang phrase,
mot in it."
Under the apportionment of 1897,
Green county, with 23,071 population,
and Lafayette county, with 20,467,
We're, together, given three members;
but under the rule laid down by the
Supreme court they can have only one
member each.
Grant county, with a population Of
37,277, had three members; but she is
now given only two, which is all the
law allows her
Thus it will be seen that while the
present apportionment act gives to the
counties of Grant, Green, Iowa, and
lafayette, all the members allowed
under the constitution as eXpounded
by the Supreme court, they will have
10 the next assembly only five mem
bers, While they now have eight-a
l)ss of three, or more than one-third.
This unavoidable loss in representation
from this usually republican section
works, of course, a decided democratic
party advantage which is also the
general result throughout the state.
The total population of the five
assembly districts above referred to is
101,S67, making an average of 20,57:
per district. The new twenty eight
senate district, composed, as il
properly should be, of three assembly
districts - the counties of Iowa anG
Lafayette, and the southern assembly
district of Grant county-has popu
lation of 60,725, and is therefore, il
size, not out of proportion to tht
assembly districts in this section of tht
state; and in shape, community O.
interests, and railway connections, i
is altogether better than the present
district, which is composed of TIT
counties of Iowa and Richland.
So far as the twenty eighth senate
district is concerned no valid objection
whatever can be offered to the new