The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-03-22
LET THE RIGHT RULE.


The Herald is in hopes that the plan
of apportionment formulated by the
Committee on Apportionment will not
be accepted by the Convention. 1t is
based on an incorrect principle and is
! inequitable and therefore wrong. 1t
also necessitates an Assembly COM
| posed of too many members consider
ing the population and needs of the
state.
a Senate of fifteen members is all
right. But House of forty-five mem
bers is too large. Thirty members
would be ample to represent the 24o,-
! 700 people of the state, or one to every
5000 Of population. a larger number
would not only increase expenses need
iessly, but would increase debate and
prolong the proceedings of the legis-
iature without corresponding benefits.
But supposing forty-five, that is three
| times instead of twice the number of
the Senate is the proper ratio for the
| House. That would be about one MEM
Der to $500 of population. These of
course should be in districts as COM
pact as possible as regards geograph-
ical connection. And each representa-
tive district should contain as nearly
as possible the number Of people en-
titled to member of the lower House.
OF course this can only be arranged
approximately. Exact uniformity in
the number of people in each represen-
tative district would be an imposibility.
The Herald has already expressed its
views on the principle that should gov
ern in the apportionment. Mere area is
not proper basis for representation.
Nor is a county organization of itself
entitled to it. 1t is the people, as citi-
zens, who are to make their own laws
through their elected representatives.
The very essence of popular govern
ment lies in that principle. Equality
Of rights demands representation ac-
cording to population as nearly as pos
sible.
We are sorry to see delegates from
whom might be expected something
better than sectionalism and selfish /
ness, advocating scheme which is
founded on nothing else. On what rule
of right can any one defend a PROPOSE |
ton to give a county with but 800 or
541 people, the same representation in
a popular Assembly as counties with |
from $751; to 1913?
Gentlemen of the convention, do not |
go on record with such a palpable in
consistency attached to your names.
There is no craftsmanship in such a
manifest departure from a principle
recognized in our Republican system
1t is demagogicaI and out of harmony
with itself. If counties should be
grouped according to population for
representation in the Senate, is it not
still more necessary that population
should govern in representation in
the House, which is more particularly
the popular branch of the Legislature?
In objecting to the scheme devised
for apportionment, The Herald has not
taken into consideration its effects
upon this city and county, because it
is not from any local or contracted or
sectional standpoint that we-view the
question. The scheme proposed will not
be detrimental to the representative in
terests Of this county. 1t is on general
principles that we advocate the repub-
lican rule of representation according
to population.
The principle Of equal and exact
justice to alp should rule in this as
in all matters of government. If that
has been studied in arranging for the
Senatorial districts which contain
groups of counties, when necessary to
conform to that principle, why should
It not rule in the formation of Repre-
sentative districts? We trust this mat /
ter will not be disposed of hastily and
that right and equity will prevail over {
selfshness and sectionaIism.