The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-11-30
MIR. CHAMBERS'S STAND
DOUBTS THE WISDOM OF REAPPOR-
TIoNING THE STATE THIS WINTER.
Annual banquet of Marion County
Lincoln League-TimeIy Topics Dis
cussed Over the Board.

The Marion County Lincoln League held
It's annual meeting last night in the Com
mercial Club dining room. The clubrooms
were placed at the disposal of the hundred
Republicans present, and there was a gen.
eral social intermingling before and after
the menu Warwick Ripley, the organizer
OF the league in this county. presided. and
the programme went off without a break
or mar. The first speaker was Smiley n.
Chambers. ex-United States district attor-
ney, to whom was assigned the subject,
The A-pportionment OF the State" He
went first into a review of the political his
tory OF the last six years. showing that the
election OF the Republican candidate for
President in 1888 and OF a majority ir- the
lower house led the party to believe that
it had a lease OF power promising to last
a score Of years He said that the party,
however. was not content to let the minor
ity assume a part Of the responsibility, but
assumed the entire responsibility, and pro-
ceeded to emphasize the party declaration
Of a protective tariff by passing a radical
measure, which the party, in its next plat
form, was forced to indorse. And notwith-
standing the unexampled prosperity which
followed this law, the party was, at the
election OF 1892, defeated at every point.
This showed to him, Mr.. Chambers said,
that there is a vast number of conservative
citizens, the number constantly charging,
who resented the construction put in prac-
tice by the successful party and at the first
opportunity voted its condemnation. This
element has become intolerant, Mr.. Cham
bers said, of legislation OF a political char
acter. and no party can hope to retain
power that uses the control temporarily
intrusted to Ii to perpetuate itself.
Prefacing thus the note of warning that
he intended to sound. Mr.. Chambers con-
tinued as follows. meeting applause for
his frank sincerity. If not his views. on
the duty Of the next Legislature:
IT am a Republican. / believe In the Re-
publican party, am loyal to its final de-
crees and support it through good and
evil report because its patriotism, loyalty
and capacity are needed in State and ma
tional affairs. Here tonight, speaking TO
Republicans upon the heels of a great vic
a greater victory in 1886, / feel at liberty
to speak what is in my heart without fear
OF giving offense to party friends or cour-
age TO party antagonists.
For the first time in years the Repub-
1icans control both branches of the State
Legisiaaq IRE ,1 such tb ind nsnnJs ~ have ave s been
and especially upon Republican counties,
by an iniquitous apportionment of the
State and by an negotiable fee and salary
law, as well as in the partisan management
OF our State institutions, as to give some
excuse for a feeling of retaliation There
Is danger OF fatal radicalism In legislation
in this spirit. The one lesson that recent
elections impress upon me is moderation
n legislation. There is great restlessness
under the apportionment acts of 1918.
They are practically the same. They diff
fer IN some respects. The act or 1891 was
declared unconstitutional by the Supreme
Court. That of 1893 has not been. The
political question that confronts US is,
shall the State be apportioned by this Leg
islature? Section 4, Article A, OF the Con-
stitution provides as follows
1.-THE General Assembly shall, at its sec
end session after the adoption of this Con-
stitution. and every six years thereafter,
cause an enumeration TO be made OF all
the male Inhabitants over the age of
twenty-one years, Section . provides:
tives shall. at the session next following
each period of making such enumeration,
the several counties according to the male
Inhabitants above twenty-one years of age
IN EACH
mo one will contend, I apprehend, more
than one apportionment within the consti-
tutional period. of six years was contem-
plated by the trainers of the Constitution;
The period for an observation-disclosures
course-will be In 1897, by the Legislature
to be elected in 1896. Therefore, If there
is an apportionment at this time legally
the people, there is no power in the present
Legislature to enact another. What posi-
ton does the Republican party occupy as
to the present apportionment? In the first
place. the Republican party, believing it
TO be unfair, inequitable and unconstitu-
Wishard. to test it's constitptionality. 1t
selected its forum. was represented by able
counsel, thoroughly investigated the ques-
fits contention. 1t appealed to the Su-
preme Court, but did not prosecute that
appeal to final Judgment, dismissing its
questions involved. This left the Judgment
below in force. If this were an action be-
tween individuals it would be a final de-
termination Of the rights of parties.
I'm the second place, the Republican par
~ has the fruits of this elec jon under this
eressional, in a large majority in both
houses of the Legislature and in a
solid Republican delegation in Con-
wrong. L dis~franchised thousands
of our citizens, Disseminated against
Republican majorities and in favor of Dem
nation at the hands of the people-what
the people have done they will do again.
Is this-the Republican party in its action
against the Democratic party, permitted
Judgment, to go against 1t, which judg-
Again, the Republican party is, SO far as
the election by the people can determine
the question concluded by their verdict. They
have under this apportionment given us
large majority in both branches Of the
legislature.
aShall we not, In the election of 1896.
in a contest for presidential electors, Repre-
sentatives in Congress and State officers,
as well as for members OF our State Legis-
lature and a Representative in the United
States Senate, stand by the good Judgment
OF the people and appeal to their integrity.
Or shall we present a doubtful constitutions
al question and ~jeopardiZe the entire in
terests of the party in the State with the
conservative elements of our citizenship,
whose number and influence are sufficient
10 throw the election into the hands OF
either party.
1.-The history Of recent campaigns shows
no such want of confidence in the dominant
party as the election just held discloses
toward the Democratic party. It's defeat
on the issue presented-'freer raw mater
iap-is overwhelming. The protest against
Democratic administration and administra-
tive methods was UNIVERSAL; without ex-
ception every State in the Union. by a
decreased Democratic vote, manifested its
displeasure with the Democratic party.
This protest cannot be justly called a pro-
test against the leaders Of the party. In
New York, where Senator Hill has COM
plcte control OF the party organization and
where he was unanimously nominated for
Governor, the party was defeated by 10000
majority. In Indiana. where the 80 per
cents. or Cleveland faction had complete
control the party was overthrown by the
unprecedented majority OF 1900, the de-
feat OF every Congressman and the loss
OF both branches of the Legislature. 1t was
a party defeat, not the overthrow merely
of the leaders OF the party. We are taught
by this pronounced victory what we have
elections, that We have reached a period
OF great conservatism in voting. AS time
has separated US from the war period.
when the people were divided upOD issues