New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-12
TUE KINGS COUNTY DECISION.

Democratic gcrrymandcring in this state has
at # received a setback. Last July the Dem
ocratjc Board Of Supervisors of Kings went to
work under the nagranty dishonest reappo'-
tionmont OF 1892 to rcdivide the county INTO
Assembly districts. They were not bent upon
performing their task in an equitable manner.
On the contrary, as the result demonstrated
their sole aim was TO make such division OF
thc eighteen districts as would give their party
the greatest political advantage.
When the districts "a the supervisors had
created them were announced, the falr-inindeu
citizens of Kings were filed with Indignation.
They saw that the disproportion in population
between the Demo- ratio and the Republican
districts was so great as not u be explained
on any theory consistent with justice. Thus
in the two so-caIled Republican districts the
With and the NNlth the population was re-
Spectivcly 100, 500 and $500 while IN TWO
Democratic districts, the lst and the nth, 1t
was only 33,4O6 and 31,6s3. These hgufes
and others of only less significance cohViccu
the Board of Supervisors at the bar OF popul'r
intelligence of the deliberate intention OF max
ing shamclcsSly dishonest, partisan division
The consequence was that number OF public
srirtcd citizens instituted legal proceedings
looking to a redress of the outrage >; ana no"
the Court of Appeals comes to their rchei d!
branding the division made by the supervisors
as unconstitutional. Judge Pcckham' VINO
writes the opnon-in which all his lclloW
.Iudgcs c0ncllr-splrnS the suggestion that the
manner in which county shall he divided into
Assembly districts is entirely within the juri~-
Sicton of the Supervisors. so that they have
absolute discretion in the matter. lie shows by
\ reference to the history of the Constitution
that the Supervisors arc committed to repre-
scntation by population and he ADDS; we
can never believe that ii was the intention oi
the people that absolute discretion should be
ccnfdcd to an inferior body. like the Board oi
Supervisors. while the Legislature itself was 10
he bound in sci terms TO make divisions upon
recognized basis of population
This is clear and forcible. Supervisors IN
dividing a county are not at liberty to do As
they plcase-arc not at liberty to play into the
hands of political bosses. BY no means. As
Judge Peckham pointcdly reminds this hinsS
County Board 1T is manifcstly not the policy
of this State t. commit irresponsible power 10
local administrative bodies" The decision OF
orr count of last resort in this matter Will be
hailed with Joy all over the State. Reputable
men, whatever their politics abominatc the
corrvmander in any and all Of its Manifesto
tons. They realize that it is one OF the most
serious evils of our politics, and long for the
dav f, arrive which will witness It's comple'e
overthrow. 1t is intmated that the decision IN
the Kings County case will inspire the citizens
of other countieS-NewYork and Erie, for cX-
ample-to organize movement looking 10
similar redress Of similar wrongs. II IS 10 be
assumed that the report is true. Let the
electors who have been imposed upon stand
ND for their rights and they will get them.