St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-02-02
GERRYMANDERS TOGO
A Unique Apportionment Bill
introduced in the Wis
consin Legislature.
The Scheme to Divide Up the
Legislative Districts by
Units.
Features Of the Plan Which
Appeal to Ones Sense
Of Justice.
Banker Kinyon's Residence
at OWatonna Is Burned
to the Ground.

introduced joint resolution to amend
article of the Constitution of WiScon-
sin, relating to apportionment. The
changes indicated are as follows:
There shall be no division OF county
lines in the formation Of senate or as
sembly districts. Section l provides
for the election of members of both
houses biennially, whereas the senators
now hold Office four years. Section 2
provides for all enumeration Of the in
habitants in June. 1895, and at the end
of each decade thereafter. If the legis-
lature fails to provide for such enumer-
alton, the secretary of state shall cause
the enumeration to be made under rules
approved by the governor. Section
provides for the appointment of board
of apportionment, consisting of the gov
ernor, secretary Of state, attorney gen.
eral and two members of the political
party casting the second highest mum
Der of votes at the election for state Off
GERS at the last preceding election, the
latter to be appointed by the supreme
court.
Must Divide by Thirty-Three.
Section provides that the ratio for
senatorial district shall be ascertained
by dividing the population of the state
by thirty-three. Every county shall
have as many senatorial districts as 1t
io1 70
tIonal senator for surplus of popula-
ton exceeding three-fourths of a unit.
Counties not possessing unit may be
grouped into senatorial districts and
shall contain as nearly as may be the
unit of senatorial district. No senate
district shall contain less than two as
sembly districts. The unit for assembly
dis trictS shall be hundredth part of
the population. To each county shall
be apportioned as many assemblymen
as it contains assembly units, and an
additional member for each major frac-
ton OF unit. Two or more counties
not containing full unit or major
fraction may be grouped into an
assembly district. but not more
than three counties shall be
placed in one assembly district.
In assembly districts containing
two or more counties, the member shall
be first chosen from the county having
the largest population and IN the next
election from the county having the
next largest population, then the third,
and so on, alternately.
As to Adjoining Counties.
Two adjoining counties, each of which
contains an assembly unit and one third
over, shall each be entitled to elect a
member, also to elect an additional
member-at-large for both counties. A
county containing a surplus one-sixth of
senatorial unit shall be entitled to one
senator and at least four members of
assembly, and a senatorial district
formed out of county having less than
five-siXths of a senatorial unit snail only
be entitled to two members of assembly.
Cities in counties entitled to two'or more
assembly districts shall not be divided
in the formation of an assembly district.
Cities containing surplus of three
fifths of an assembly unit snail be en-
titled to two members.
The board of apportionment shall APP
portion to the counties the number of
members and senators to which they are
entitled, and the several boards of su-
pervisors of the counties which are en-
titled to more than one member of the
senate or assembly shall, on the first
Tuesday in May following the appor-
tionment, divide these counties into as
many senate and assembly districts as
have been apportiOued to them, each
assembly district to contain an equal
number of inhabitants, as near as may
be, and shall consist Of convenient and
contiguous territory. In addition, there
shall be elected seven members of the
assembly from the state at large.
The bill also provides for the division
of the state by said board of apportion-
ment into congressional districts.
Section provides that contests for
seats shall be determined by the courts.