New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-06
A BOLD GERRYMANDER
THE STATE SENATE PASSES THE CONGRESS
eIONAL REINFORCEMENT BILL.

AMENDMENTS
,BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSEl
Albany, April Bad the gerTymander OF
the congressional districts OF the state made by the
bill drawn I'D by Governor Flower and his private
secretary n month ago, and then submitted TO the
legislature even that measure surpassed as a
svndlinr enactment BY the bill which was passed Dy
the Democratic senate tonight. Mr.. Flower, In ms
bill stole several Republican districts in the Interior
of the state andegave them to the New-iorK ana
Brooklyn Democrats His bill was so ar
ranged that the New-York City Congress
sional districts had an average population of only
about 17l,OOO, while Republican districts In the
interior OF the State Ind populations ranging from
$4,000 to oOs,00O. The Brooklyn Congressional ais
tricts had little larger population, but sun inc unjust
feature Of n much smaller population than the Repuo-
lican districts in the interior OF the State was MAIN
tanned.
Tonight 10 the Senate under the manipulating fin
cers of David b. Hill who Is still In the city, there
was still greater compression OF the Repuohcah
counties. Mr. Sheehan. 1t seems wished 10
have two Congressional districts put into Ere
County, That county and Niagara county together
barely make up two Congressional districts III
point OF population. Mr. sheehan, however, Topped
OF Niagara County and made 1t part OF the MAUI
District. which also has within It's limits the counties
OF Livingston Wyoming, Genesee and Orleans Inc
result of this change TO dslocatc several Ton
Cressional districts In the western part OF the o'ao'
and largely TO increase the population OF seVerai
Republican districts Thus, the NNNlllth Dls'fc'
WAS made TO resemble saddlebag, and there WIS
hacked away within Its limits The counties OF
wayne Cayuga Cortland. Ontario and Yates
1t had big population already, 2Ooooo'
but this Increase forced the population up to no.
OOO Thus Republican district OF 2l5,OOo popu'a'
ton was created while the New-York City Demo
CRITIC districts of only III 900 population were LETT
untouched.
But this was not the end Of the gerrymander Inc
XXIId and XXIIld Districts were entirely remodeled,
at the demand Of Smith NJ Weed; and. as result OF
this what senator Erwin termed "step-ladder dis
tr1ct, was crested, running from the ST. Lawrence
River across the Adirondack wilderness to the Hud
son River, a district ESQ miles in bradth anu
severed in It's centre by the Adronack woods. THIS
is the new XXIId District, composed OF the coutcS
of ST. Lawrence Hamilton, Fulton and Saratoga
The Republican Senators naturally fought such
villanous measure. The opposition was led by seh~
tor Erwin. lie said. when Senator Cantor annouhceu
the proposed amendments to the bill, that the Re
pubcans had expected partisan measure ou' "o
such one as this But he had been surprised 10 learn
that St Lawrence County lind been TORN away from
its natural companions on the northern b'rder,
Franklin and Clinton, and made TO form part
Of district the territory OF which could not be said
to be contiguous territory. The county OF 81 law
renee was made part OF n district with Saratoga
County How absurd The Adirondack wilderness
separated them. man would have 10 uhNei ~
miles by rail- by circuitous route, to reach Do'"
counties such arrangement was CRIME ae''ne'
the people Of the district Was st. Lawrence county
TO be punished because she rolled up yearly eoOo ne
publican majority lie regarded the bill as personal
attack upon himself which he had not deserved.
Senator Cantor the Democatic leader, Of course
made a srecous reply. He said There Is no IN
,cntlon Of Furnishing any Republican senator There
must be disocation of existing political relations
We must consider the population ~ the counties OF the
State These two districts have been equal in popnh-
ion As originally arranged, the NNlld Dl'trct mao
COG 6s3 population and the XXIlId District 16o.5g1
We propose IN these amendmentst give the MILO DIS
trict population Of ls5193, and the XXIIId District
popation of l01 l55 We do not disturb any cXls Ing
political relations Both Of these districts were Re
publican originally and they are Republican now"
But Senator Cantor made reply 10 Senator arwins
unanswerable argument regarding the geographical
character OF the district.
Senator Donaldson. OF Saratoga County. also DC
nounced the BILL Then Senator Erwin said he would
vote for II II the Democrats would restore tho district
as il was with Franklin and Clinton united to IT.
Lawrence The other Republican senators would not
follow Mr. Erwin In this matter. Senator Asplnail' OF
Brooklyn declared that the Brooklyn Democrats had 50
gerrymandered the five Congressional Districts given
10 BROOKLYN that no Republican Congressman could be
elected This disranchises 10000 Republicans he
said and no Republican. In my opinion should vote
for this BILL even IL it is amended as suggested by
Senator Erwin
There is q good deal Of justice in what senator
Erwin has said about the geographical character OF
his district said Senator OCOnnor "but nevertheless
Senator Aspina is right. No Republican should vote
for this iniquitous bill Since this session began this
Democratic majority has not cared n copper for the
people's rights 1t used Its majority Of seventeen