The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-02
Gerrymanders.

The Supreme Court OF Michigan. which a
month ago upheld the validity Of the law
dividing tho electors among the several
Congress districts as constituted by the
Legislature. has followed tho footsteps OF
the Supreme Court OF Wisconsin. and by a
unanimous vote declared unconstitutional
the redistricting Of the various counties for
State purposes. on the ground that it is
inequitable. and on that account uncon-
stitutional Accordingly. unless a special
session is called to arrange a new apporton-
ment. the election in Michigan will be held
this year according to the districts as they
existed in 1881. This is victory for the
Republicans. as was the decision OF the SUI
preme Court Of Wisconsin; and it will pos
sibly not be without some effect in New
York. where the Republicans. taking Mon
roe county as test. are attacking the valid
ity OF the new apportionment. The claim is
that Albany county. with l67. $50 population.
has four Assemblymen. while Monroe. with
200O56. received but three: Duchess. with
1892 population, is to have hcnceforth two
Assemblymen. and st. Lawrence. with &c.
24 population. but one. This Is not. say
the Republicans. IN apportionment OF men,
bers las nearly rs may DO according to
the number OF their respective inhabi-
tants." as the Constitution provides. They
are. therefore. seeking its overthrow. What
view the Court OF Appeals will take is
matter for future consideration. but the
opinion Of the best equipped and most able
jurists is that the New York apportion-
ment is legally sound and unassailable. and
will not he disturbed.
Gerrymanders. such as have boon set
aside in Wisconsin and Michigan. are not
new things In American politics. They
date back to 1914. In that year. when Ell
BRIDGE GERRY was Governor of Massachu-
sets. its Senatorial districts were laid out
by his party friends in such manner that
their own political interests would he pro-
noted. The district specially objected to
was north Of the city OF Boston and extend
ed irregularly from LYNN to Marblehead.
One OF the Boston newspapers published n
map of tho townships joined together to
make 1t up. with wings. talons. and bcak,
SO as to make it resemble mythical bird.
Flagrantly unfair arrangements of legls-
lative districts have been called gerryman-
ders ever since. Tho voters OF the country
do not. as rule. favor them. and when APP
pealed to they are apt to rebuke them.
For many years the Republicans OF In
diana. under tho lead OF tho late Gov
ernor MOTION. endeavorcd to prevent
the return to Congress OF WILLIAM
STEELE HOLMAN. whose rugged intrepldity
they feared. by alterations In his districts;
but his nelghbors rallied to his support.
and. with one exception. constantly re-
turned him. His popularity roS" snpe-
rior to district changes. and to-day no
Republican in Indiana would dare to inter-
fere with him: HOLMAN is secure. Moro
recently In Ohio some Democrats engaged
In the discreditable task of so altering inc
boundaries OF WILLIAM MCkINLEYS DIS
trict that he was thrown into Democratic
constituency. But. like HOLMAN. he rose
superior to these changes until 1890. when
he was defeated by majority OF 3o2 votes
In total Of 40, 900. His neighbors. Demo-
Gratis as well as Republicans. sympathized
with him on this account. and last year ne
was chosen Governor.
American voters love fair play. Inc
most earnest partlsans want to win IN
fair fight. They know, too. that an IN
equitable apportionmcnt is something OF
boomerang. 1t is the device OF poor hghI-
ers, and invariably reacts to their preJu-
dice and often to their confusion.
1t 10 well. however. to remember that
few inequalities OF division are not SUI
hcient to condemn a whole apporuonmeht'
and that the courts will not exercise their
authority In setting aside an apporuoh-