New-York tribune., 1894-10-31

rural districts with such limited population as
TO bring the Senator into possible contact with
all portions of his district and to enable him
to represent virtually its varied interests.
The ratio for a Senator obtained by dividing
the increased population Of the state by hity
was reduced from 10000 to li5.OCO. This would
admit Of reasonable Senate districts throughout
the State. giving satisfactory actual represen-
tation. do not believe that any just fault can
be found with the increase Of numbers of Sen
ate and Assembly having this reasonable pros
pect in view.
And now Senator Hill complains that in our
actual division Of the Senate districts We have
Disseminated against what he calls Democratic
stronghods. | deny that we have Disseminated
for or against any section, Democratic or Re-
publican. But what are Democratic strong
holds? Are there any? Before the theft of the
Senate in 1892. by which he enabled To make
the present outrageous apportiOnment. II might
have been thought that Brooklyn and New-fork
were. In truth Democratic strongholds: but
Brooklyn last year, in consequence Of that and
other crimes. fell into the hands Of the Repub-
lcans. and to-day the people OF New-for Clty
seem determined to rescue that great munich
pality from Tammany Hall In truth there are
no stronSholds which an aroused and angry
people cannot storm and carry against any
party and this shows the absurdity of test
Ing the fairness of any given apportonment by
its bearing on supposed strongholds Democratic
or Republican, or on the shifting sands of party
ascendancy.
To-day ii happens that one party Is largely con-
ccntratcd In this little corner OF the State, ana
the other occupies the vast area beyond. But
who knows what the chances and changes ~
l-iV hon haf
apportionmcnt can he had But assuming that
the distinguished Senator'S complaint In regard
To- discrimination against Democratic strongh"lds
intended 10y nm 10 apply 10 New i"Tk diu
Kings counties GOr he points to fractions uh-
represented there In Democratic districts
amounting to abodt 10000 as against R"pubh.
can districts in other parts Of the state. pr"Vided
with Senator. though short OF ratio, WIN de-
fcicncics amounting in the aggregate 10 about
the same number. our answer Is perfect ana
W. can reduce the matter 10 n mathcmatlcal
demonstration. for the allotmcnts Of political
power are fortunately as capable " mathemau-
cal ascrrtainment ~ those OF steam or electrical
power. BY comparing the treatment Of New.
York and Kings under the appOriiOnment of lN92
with that which is proposed by the conventions
apportionment this charge Of discrimination
against these two great cities can be fairly
tested | assume that the allotment Of senator's
and Assemblymcn To Ncw-York and Kings. made
by senator FIl and his agents and servants In
the Lcgisla ture Of 1897. upon IN" enumeration
made in February Of that year. was satisfactory
to them. and remains 50 To- this day. In view of
the means by which that apportionmcnt was So
cured. and ~ it's obvious and unjust inequalities
operating in favor of New-YOrk and Kings. tho
convention might Justly. in the new distribution
Of the increased number Of Senator'S and AS
sembymen have reduced the proportion u these
cities: but bearing In mind the rapid in
crease of population in these cities now going on,
and not unlikely TO continue. and soHcitous 70
avoid all imputation 81 partisan purpose. the
convention concluded TO accept tho enumeration
Of 1892. unfavorable to the rural districts as II
was known 10 be. and give as nearly "a possible
10 the counties ~ New-York and Kings the same
relative share In the increased number ol rep
rcscntatives that each now has In the smaller
number And cali particular attention 10 this
point because It seems u b" compi"t" r"futa-
ton Of all the gross ISLANDERS and false chargea
- partisanship which senator lin has been
going up and down, and To and fro. In the State
for the last month to proclaim
NEW-YORK AND KINGS WELL TREATED
New-York. under the IIll apportionment, has
seven members Of the senate. that is little logs
than % per cent - the w-making power IA
represented In the Senate. or. to put II exactly.
81 so. Under the proposed apportionmcnt ~
adopted. this county Will have twelve senators.
which IS exactly - per cent a gain ~ 2ia per
cent
Kings County now has five Scnators-that a.
5-92 which is i per cont or. more exactly 10 62j
Under the conventions proposed apportionmcnt
Kings will have seven Senator's which IL exactly
"A per cent. "a approach 10 equality az
II was possible 10 make. Together the two coun-
ties now have 37i2 per cent. under the proposed
apportionment they Will have together IS per
cent Of the whole Senatorial representation Of
the state No wonder that no Democrat In
convention or on the stump has ever claimed
that New-York and Kings ought to have more
Of tho new Senators. The same exact relation in
the Assembly districts has been preserved with
N,y-NOrk has rs
Asscmblymcn. which Is about 23is per cent. ex
actly % 49,. she will have under the new appor-
tlonmcnt 35 out II 80. which is % l-3 per cent.
Kings now has Is out OF l2s Assemblymcn.
which is "A little more than IL per cent exactly
II o62: She will maze under the new apporti)n-
ircnt 2l out II 80 Assembymon. which Is II per
cent Together the two counties now have
3. i99 per cent of the Asscmblymcn: under the
now app)rti ipnmcnt they will have 3I38-thtt
Is 10 say. hy the new apportionment the united
counties of Ncw-York and Kings Will gain y Of
/ per cent In the Senate. and viii lose only l-6
Of / per cent In The Assembly I submit that
unless these figures can be disputed the whole
prctencc Of partisan discrimination against
Democratic strongholds Is scattered to the
winds.
The Convention in the formation Of Senate
districts has undertaken 10 redress one great
wrong which exists. Heretofore the
county OF New York. with 10000 Republican
voters residing chiefly In the central and north
distinct formation In compact and regular form.
have been deprived Of all voice and rpresrnta-
ton In the Senate Of the State.
Although representing NOR" than One-third OF
the population. they have been thus deprived OF
their rights under the existing appOrtionment
by running district lines so as TO absorb them
completely ignored and Ncw-lork County might
tions OF the city; their very existence has been
completely ignored AMI New- York County might
as well, for all practicable purposes be com
posed entirely OF Democratic voters so far "a
the representation In the Senate is concerned.
To set this matter right. In the formation of
the Senate districts Of this county the COnVen-
ton has formed two compact districts out OF
the portions Of the county referred To. which
the Republicans will have n fair chance Of car
rying In ordinary elections surrenderng abso-
lutely to their adversarics the other ten dis
tricts.