The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-06-04
No Occasion for BIoodshcd.

The swelling Indignation of the dis
tinguished editor of the Philadelphia
Press at Senator Quay for the part he
took in the recent apportionmert bat
tie would be more commendablc If it
were more clearly impersonal. But
when Mr. Smith fans the flame Of party
disappointment with an unconcealed
purpose of furthering hia own political
advancement, 1t may be well for the
Republican masses to subject mis- fiery
utterances to a slight measure of dis
count. 1t is not open to doubt that
Senator Quay has made a mistake; but
1t is by no means certain that by this
mistake he has forfeited all claim to
party leadership, or that the Republi
can party in Pennsylvania would profit
by an exchange which should replace
tiamen who are now so energetically
nagging at him.
The Tribune fought for fair appor-
tionment and would have been glad
had the legislature fulfilled it's obvious
duty in this direction; but it's failure
has by no means soured its views of
life nor filed It with the measure of
alarm which can only be eased by the
disruption Of the present splendid Re-
publican organization. Senator Quay's
own side of the case. which we repro
duce below, is entitled to attentive con-
sideration; and while we do not agree
with him in the belief that the recent
defeat of all reapportionment measures
involved no evil politics, we are equally
far from acquiescing in the belief of
his enemies that the Republican party
would fare better under an untried
leadership, subjectto mistakes probably
far greater than any Senator Quay has
ever committed, or Is ever likely to
commit. In other words, while we are
disappointed at the legislatures work,
we are not whetting any knives for
the purpose of helping the envious
even in his faults, is greater than the
majority of his critics are in their as
sumed virtues. This is Mr.. Quay's
statement:
'The constitution of Pennsylvania de-
clares that the general assembly, at its
first session after the adoption of this
constitution and Immediately after each
United States decennial census, shall
apportlon the state into senatorial and
representative districts. 1t is clear that
so far as these words are to be deemed
mandatory they apply only to the legus-
lature which meets Immediately or next
after each census. If, through inability
on the part Of the two houses to agree,
or perhaps through the action of par
tisan governor vetoing apportonment
bills because they do not suit him and his
party-a thing which has occurred in our
recent experience-the duty is left unpsr-
formed, then it lies in the discretion of
subsequent legislatures to pass proper ap-
portionment bills or wait until a new
census furnishes a reliable basis for the
work
1.-THE changes in our population and the
shifting Of It's local centers, owing to coal
and petroleum developments, the sudden
growth of manufacturing towns and tho
like may at any time make the latter
course the more safe and desirable to take
Tho constitution does not mean that the
duty of apportioning shall be mandatory
and continuing on every legislature that
sits between any two decennial censuscs.
II 1t does, no business might be trans
acted for ten years at n stretch, except
lighting over apportionment measures
{ We'fhfgnt. also, In the year 1900, have the
curious spectacle of a Legislature called to
apportion the state on the basis of the
census of 1890, the taking of the new CEN
sus being then in progress. OF course,
the nearer we get to the time when q CEN
sus Is to be taken the less excuse there Is
for doing what ere long would have to be
done anew. Conditions may exist or arise
requiring the matter Of apportionment to
be attended to at a time other than that
expressly fixed by the mandates of the
constitution. A mere temporary inequal-
ity Is not always sufficient to demand the
exercise of the discretionary power. We
must remember, too, that under the most
careful apportionment absolute equality
cannot be reached.
''Now, as to members of congress, there
is nothing In the constitution of Pennsyl-
vana in relation to the time of making
congressional apportionment, nor Ia there
anything in the constitution or laws of the
United States in relation to the time
The apportionment bill passed by the
Fifty-1rst congress is directory and pro-
vides for failure or refusal to apportion
from any cause by legalizing the election
Of members upon the state ticket at large
There Is not a shadow of an excuse for the
nh haf IN n n