New-York tribune., 1894-10-31

State shall have one and each Of the three legls-
lative districts OF Baltimore one. thus limltlng
Baltimore to three Senators out Of twenty-four'
for there are twenty-four counties. And as 10 its
Representatives. it provides that each county
having 5000 inhabitants shall have TWO repre-
sentatives; and over 1900 and less than 2S.00o
three: over rs 900 and e Than 10000. four; oVe'
40 900 ard less than $4,000, five: over $1,000, sX
AND NEVER ANY MORE. and that each of the
three Legislative districts OF Baltimore snaii
have as much the largest county, and no more;
that Baltimore. with It's population amount
ing to more than two-iitths OF the state can
never have more than eighteen representatives
in any event out Of about ninety.
Missouri another Staip, with Its great city, 81
Louis having 10000 and upward out OF total
of . 700 600 for the WhO.e-hat is TO say the city
having one-sixth of the entire population OF the
State-providcs for representative body OF Zoo
members. Of which one-sXth would be thirty
three; but St Louis is limited to seventeen
thus dividing the whole number of inha bitants
by 900 each county having one ratio or less mas
one but in order To get an addltlonal repre-
sentative II must have two and one-half ratios;
for three members It must have four ratios: FOR
four members 1t must have six ratios ana may
have one more member for each TWO ana one
half ratios: and the Constitution provides tnat
until such apportionment shall be made. St. Louis
with It's $50 600 shall have only seventeen mem
bers It would seem that II Democratic author
ity Is satisfactory to Senator Hill or any other
student Of this important subject the example
Of these great States. the population ana voters
Of which both in city and country are almost
exclusively Democratic. would be satisfactory
NOT y PARTY tlt FSIlON
Turning now to States that are uniformly Re-
pIbncan, we find that the same rule OF repre-
seH ration is applied. For instance, Maine divides
its 15l OOo representatives among its towns py
the following rule: Each town having l,3Oo snail
have one: but in order to have two IL must nave
two and one-half times that NUMBER Tor three'
four and a half times the ratio; Tor four'
sovar times the ratio; COR five, times the
rlf
seven. seventeen and half times the ratio. BUT
THAT NO TOWN SHALL EVER BE EN-
TITLED TO MORE THAN SEVEN REPRE-
SENTATlVES.
Pennsylvania. with it's vast area and popua-
,,on so overwhelmingly Republican. both in and
out of Philadelphia. limits the city OF Phila-
delphia. containing already more than one-hfth
of its nopuation to one-siXth Of the power OF
representation in any event.
And finally little Rhode Island the state or
Roger williams. limits its great city of Provi-
dencc. containing $4,000 out OF the total state
population Of 345 OO0 or about one-third. TO one
sixth of the power Of representation.
one would think that II those to whom Re-
publican authority is satisfactory these exam
pies would be sufficient 1t Will thus be seen that
actual numerical equality in the distribution OF
the representative power IL the exception anu anu
not the rule in these enlightened comInunltl"s
Rut while IL Is conceded by fair disputants that
the established prevalence OF the RUE III the
other States Of the Union Is made out we are
still called upon to show that II Is just ana wise
here and one that L. calculated 10 promote the
welfare ~ the whole people OF this state 20
which we reply. that II 1t Is just ana wise RUE
in other States. II its practical operation mas
been So benehcent that no complaint from any
quarter has ever been made Of the just working
of tho distribution. 1t must necessarily De
deemed 10 be just and wise and for the welfare
~ the whole people In Its practical operation,
as IL certainly is IN theory. for the reason al
ready suggested OF the relative incapacity OF an
eoual number OF inhabitants In a scattered ana
widespread rural district TO compete by It's SIN
Gle individual representative against the com
bined impetus Of the united representatives or
n great city each one OF whom stands. speaks
orf octs FOR the entire city. II is exactly the
sam, principle which demands one representa-
tiv, for each county, however small in popua-
tor the Justice of which. both theoretically ana
practically. cannot now be brought in question.
GREATER NEW-YORK NOT AFFECTED.
Finally. we come to the consideration OF the
rule laid down that the united counties or New
York and Kings shall never have more than
on.-half Of tn, Senator'S which is expressed IN
this language: NO two counties the ter
ritorv thereof as now organized which are ad-
Joining counties or which separated only
10y public waters shall have more than one-haii
of all the Senator'S"
Il will be observed that this rule cannot BE-
brought into application until after the next
enumeration to be made in the year 1905; that
Il can never apply to the Greater New-fork
which IS To be composed. according 10 the
theory of It's inventor. OF large number OF
counties.
II is Impossible FOR any one to guess whether
at the distant date OF the next enumeration or
before the meeting OF another Constitutional
Convention the present Democratic and Repuo-
lican parties will still exist. or how the parties
Of that era Will be distributed between city ana
country In the very nature of things. this
cannot be "A question Of party, but one of rela-
lions between urban and rural districts of
densely populated regions and thinly or widely
scattered divisions OF the State. IL has been ap-
siirdly charged that the rule OF the ConNeh-
ton has been based upon some idea OF the SUI
nerior virtue or intelligence OF the inhabitants
of rural populations. No such ridiculous iu"a
was suggested in the Convention. and l have
never heard It put forward as an argument
in support of the rule. except by leading Jour
nal which in arguing against the rule. mas
set up this proposition for the pleasure or Khock-
ing Il down. There can, Of course be no such
nretence and IL is not necessary To my argu-
ment TO inquire whether wisdom ana virtue
find their chief seat and favorite nome III Guy
or In country; IL has nothing Whatever 10 90
with the question before us The problem pre-
sented by this portion OF the rule Is ne" one,
no such state OF things ever existed To my
LnovIsdpe I'm any civilized community which
has adopted representative government as tnat
which now approaches by the possibility or
single city in one little corner or the state az,
taining majority OF the eEtire cNi"e" pop"'
ton OF the State.
Shall the people of New-York City, the mo-
ment they outnumber the people or the !rs,
~ th. state take into their absolute control
and government the affairs and interests of the
rest Of the State an almost equal populatioh,
occupying the vast territory from Montauk 10
engaged In every conceivable pursuit having
interests as diverse the lot of humanity ad,
mits and In some respects antagonstic or rival
To those of the city itself?
THE STATE GREATER THAN ANY 'iii'
The question is, Shall the political power OF