Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1895-07-11
LEGISLATURES OF THE WORLD.
Differences In the ipportionment o
Members and system OF REORGANIZATION

The recently elected Italian Chamber of
Deputies consists OF 534 members. The
present German RoiChstag consists of 2g3
members. The next House of Representa-
yves at Washington, exclusive of ter
ritorlal delegates, Will consist of $50 mem
bers. The English Parliament consists of
$50 members, including those elected in
ireland and Scotland as we'll as those
elected i'm England. OF these members
i63 are chosen from English constituent
cles, lUi from Irish, 70 from Scotch and 80
from WEIGH, The French Chamber of
Deputies consists Of 622 members
1t appears from these figures that al
though popular control over the choice Of
representatives is most general in the
nted States, the lower House of Con-
gross Is a smaller body than the popula}.
Iranch of the Legislature of Great britain.
Germany. France or Italy, The Belgian
Parliament, prior to the extension of
universal suffrage and the adoption of
-" multiple system of voting, consisted
of II members, the number VARYING ac-
corning to the number of qualified cleo
tors In each district. The Hungarian
House of Magnates consists of 1855 mem
bers, and the Hungarian House of Repre-
sentatiNes of 40. The Dutch Parliament
~ constructed on the basis Of one deputy
Tor every $4,000 Of population. The repre-
sentation of all the Swiss cantons in the
National Council is l35
In the choice of representatives few
European governments conform with the
american plan of selecting representa-
tives on the basis of the number of voters
only. In England. for instance, whore the
right of suffrage has been extended to the
point OF being almost universal. or man
hood suffrage, as it is called in the United
states, nine university districts continue
10 nave representation as such, and the
dlNlslonal lines of parliamentary districts
%
quail being largest proportionately in the
country and smallest in the urban dis
ulcts. The basis Of representation in the
United states has varied greatly from
time to time. The ratio of representation
per population was $4,000 under the first
apportionmcnt. IT rose gradually under
successive appointments until 1913, when
it was put at 10000. In 1873 it jumped to
$1,000 and in 1863 to l27, 00o. From that fig
ure it grew gradually until 1883, when it
was l1l,OOo. The present basis of repre-
Sentaton is materially 9Ol.
Congress fixes the number of members
which each state shall have, but the sub
sequent subdivision based on the preced-
ing national census, is made by the state
Legislature. The rule of equality of diVi-
sion is not very well preserved, though an
effort to follow it is shown generally. The
flrst Congressional district of Texas has
population of 10000; the Second Con-
Ercss!onal district of Texas has popula-
ton of 10000, That is a fiagrant and eN-
ccptional inequality. Nevada has a rep
rcsentatiVe in Congress for $4,000 inhabi-
tantS. In New York state the district
having the largest population is the Four
tenth, now represented by Congressman
Quigg. The Fourth district OF Pcnnsyl-
Vania, one of the strongest republican
districts of the country, had by the last
census population of 100000. Ohio had
only one district with more than 100000 in
habitants, Twelve of the 10 districts of
Massachusetts have 10000 population or a
fraction more.-New York sun.