St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-10-12

the popular will. Under the present
constitution the people were en-.
titled to an enumeration in 1898
as basis of new appOrtionment. III
stead of adopting direction in the
constitution to the legislature to frame
new apportionment upon the census
of 1895. The Republican majority has in
corporated In the constitution plan
of apportionment which violates the
fundamental rules of popular repre-
SentatiOn, and scheme OF diStricting
which is an audacious gerrymander.
This plan prevents any new apportiOn-
menL until after 1905. 1t forecloses the
future by prescribing impossible condi-
tlons even to the legislature of 1896.
Without public demand it increases the
senate from 80 to 50 and the assembly
from l2S TO $50. an increased annual ex.
pense approaching one hundred thou
sand dollars. 1t destroys the proper
ton of four to one between the
assembly and the senate which has eX-
listed since 1921. 1t creates fifteen sem
ate districts with population greater
than fifteen other districts by 459, ,S72.
1t leaves unrepresented a population in
Democratic districts of 1872 1t over
represents Republican districts by l30,
34S. 1t thus
MaR0s q m1NaeiOn
against Democratic districts of 26l ,635.
1t permits 35,572 citizens in Republican
districts, but requires at least 4l,000 i'll
Democratic districts, to elect an as
SemDlyman. 1t preScribeS that 1l5,Sl7
citizens shall be entitled to senator,
but it affords to the Republican counties
of Erie and Monroe,an additional senat u
by one-half that number. 1t refp. es
the Democratic county of New York
and OF Kings an additional senator for
any number less than 115.Sl7. Should
either the county of New York or of
Kings become entitled by its increased
population to additional senators, it can
only gain such senators by increase OF
the total number of the senate if such
districts of the state will still retain
their quota of senators. 1t provides
that New York shall never. no matter
now great its population, have more
than one-third. the senators. 1t pro-
vides that Kings shall never. 10 matter
how great its population, have more
than One-third the senat OrS. 1t pro-
videS that New York and Kings coun-
ties shall never, 10 matter how great
their joint population, have more
than one-half of the senators. 1t
fastens Republican rule upon the state
regardless of popular will, inasmuch rs
majority of 10000 in the state against
the Republican party will not disturb
Its hold upon the legislature. By pro-
viding that in New York and in Kings
each senatorial district shall be within
500 OF the population of the adjoining
district 1t seeks to prevent new appor-
tionment. The impracticabiIity OF this
rule is confessed by the construction i'll
the proposed appOrtionment OF TWO
n nj iyty IL tria nj fx.
which differ tn their population by
2S, 100. For the first time in the history
of the state popular representation in
the senate is abandoned for territorial
representation, ana the counties of the
state which are increasing in population
are deprived of repres entatlOn for the
benefit of the counties whose pOpula-
tons are steadily decreasing.
Fellow Democrats. let me tell you in
all seriousness that the success of this
scheme at the polls means the absolute
control of the legislature TO the Repub-
licanS for all time to come. 1t means
the loss of New York forever hereafter
to the Democratic party. 1t means DO
litical annihllatiOn to all of us. The
partisans who contrived this scheme of
injustice delight to prate about the
"stealing" of single senatorial district
by the Democrats, and yet here they
unbluShingiy propose to.
Steal a Whole State
One conclusive argument establishing
the iniquity of these amendments is to
be found in the fact that Democratic
majority in the state at large of from
fifty to seventy-fve thousand would,
under this apportiOnment. still leave
the legislature in the hands of the Re.
publicans.
Take the last vote of 1892, when the
Democrats carried the state by $4,000
majority, and that vote distributed or
equaliZed according to these amend
ments would still give the legislature to
the other side. Amy person can make
the calculation for himself. How can
any honest Republican defend such a
scheme. 1t Is outrageous, it is unjust,
it is infamous. l need not argue the
proposition that the apportionment
should be so constituted that the ma
jority party in the state should control
the legislature. This is self-evident
proposition, aud yet this apportionment
proceeds upon the theory that the Re.
publicans of right should control the
legislature. regardless of the population
of the respective districts. l appeal to
our party friends everywhere 10 arise
to the danger which confronts them in
this matter, and, laying aside prejudice,
disappointments and preferences, unite
together to preserve the life of our party,
now seriously imperiled.