The Indianapolis journal., 1896-01-31

ment contained in the opinion and appre-
ciate the gravity of the situation. one
districts will be permitted. That is to say:
Two or more counties cannot be united
in one district and two or more Repre-
sentatives or Senators elected by the ma
jority vote in that district This view has
always been entertained by many who
have given much attention TO the matter
If carried TO its logical results IL might be
made TO entirely destroy self-government-
This vice has lately crept into our appor-
tionment politics. i see from the list of
senatorial and legislative districts that in
the law of 1885 there is but one instance
Clinton, Boone and Montgomery-of two
Senator'S. Under the rule announced by the
court II would seem that this might IN
case OF contest. work the overthrow OF
the law.
''It is said that the next preceding act
of 1879 is already judicialIy condemned,
so that / cannot feel sure that the act of
1873 or any prior act will stand the judicial
elections elect S'sS Should be & held e under some ONE one
of the old laws ii is apparent that it would
work great injustice to those parts of the
State in which the population has increased
rapidly in the last twenty years. 1t can
not be honestly thought by any one that
Marion county ought to be put back TO the
der the apportIonment of 1861 or 1873. The
same might be said of that part of the
State which has so rapidly increased in
population by reason of the development of
gas and oil. Besides the people have a
right to feel that their government is stable
and that no opportunity can arise in partl-
san heat for ugly and unSeemly exhibits
such as might be said to have more than
once taken place at the doors or within
the legislative halls.
Again. 1t is seriously and gravely argued
in one of the opinions that the Senator'S
elected in 1895 are not entitled TO sit in
1897 No mention is made OF the fact that
the Constitution makes the Senate the
sole judge and tribunal OF the election and
qualification of its own members. When the
Senate Of 1895 received the Senators elected
N elected
for the term of four years. DO they still
hold? Or will those elected in districts hav-
ing the same boundaries the law of
1885 or 1873 hold and the others fall? The
Constitution of 1850 required the Senators
first elected hereunder to be divided into
two classeS-one-half to hold for two years
and one-half for four years And this was
body-one-half of its members being elected
every two years. If the Senators elected
in 1894 shall be held to lose their offices,
how are those to be elected this year-eS-
pecially if fifty are TO be elected as is inti-
mated in one of the opinions-to be divided
into two and four-year terms so as to fulfill
the constitutional requirements?
THE questions are so many, so difficult
and it may be said as to some at least. so
doubtful, that it will require the exercise
of cool and patriotic judgment. The opinion
of Judge Howard, in which all the other
judges in the main at least concur, seems
to imply that the Governor can convene
the Legislature in special session to pass a
new and constitutional law. To my mind
this is what should be done and | believe
the people OF the State on mature re-
hection, without regard to party lines or
mere temporary partisan advantage, Will
demand it."