The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-15
CUT THE COMMITTEE DOWN
AND INCREASED THE SENATE.S
REPRESENTATION so AS TO
Equal THE RIVALS.
Senators Profess That IL Their Aim
I'm the Prospective Rearrange-
ment Of Districts.

senate this session occurred yesterday
morning over the selection of a reap
portionment committee, or, to speak
more strictly, the consideration Of the
house resolution appointing eight mem
bers as the senate share of joint COM
mittee to prepare plan of reapportiOn-
ment
Quite a number of the senators took
advantage of the opportunity offered
to address themselves at once to them
selves and their constituents, but the
brunt of the fight was borne by the
senator's from the southeastern corner
OF the state on the one hand, and the
Minneapolis contingent on the other.
The Minneapolis senators feel secure
in that, in order to leave the Fifth
congressional district less senators on
strict arithmetical apportionment than
it has now, it will be necessary to cut
the number of senators down to thirty
five or thereabouts, in which event the
delegation would still be relatively
more important than is the present one,
numerically, at least.
On the other hand the First congress
sional district has not kept pace with
the growth of population since the CEN
sus of 1885, on which the present ap-
portionment was based and the in
eVftable result of the reappOrtionment
If automatically fair, must be either
the decrease of the representation Of
that section or the increase of the rep
resentation in other parts of the state
The house sent in resolution nam
joint committee to draw up plans for
reapportionment, and naming eight as
the senate representation. Soma
thought this was inequitable
Senator Greer thought that the time
was not ripe for joint committee vet
lie noticed in the list Of the committee
chosen in the house that the old First
district, the most loyal Republican
region IN the state, had but one repra-
sentative on the committee He had
opposed an inequitable reapportionment
a few years ago. He stood committed
10 fair reappOrtionment, but on a
DaSlS OF senatorial representation NOT
10 exceed fifty-four Minnesota had
more senators than any other state in
the Union. He would favor larger
senatorial unit, not a smaller one. per
maps on basis of SO or 40 senators.
IhlS would be less expensive and mora
expeditions in the transaction of the
pubic business. But he wanted this
superintendent drawn up by a fair COM
mlttee, and the senate should have as
many members as the house on tha
committee.
senator Stevens said he was NOT
strenuous in his insistence on the num-
Der allotted the senate in his resolution
dIInOiIPrh
take care of itself, particularly if Sen
ator Greer should chance to be anpoinr
Ell on that committee.
senator Wyman said he wanted 4
Ialf apport1Onment The present an
portlonment was manffestly unfair. He
would support any fair apportionmeft.
out no unfair one. His district had
nothing to gain or lose. Senator Greer
was not on this floor merely as the rep
resentatiVe Of Wabasha county h1,t If
the state. He felt that he could deal
larry with the interests of all parts of
the state without regard to his personal
residence
senator Thompson thought the COM
ni!ttee DIS appointed did not insure
FAIRNESS. He favored a fair apportion
ment - VII
senator Wyman interrupted him TO
ask II he would support an apportion-
ment based on the last cens1ls ri. If
any ether could be fair. for his part he
would support no other.
senator Thompson said that apn6r-
tIohment would be acceptable He still.
however doubted the geographical
harness of the committee.
Senator Culkin moved to amend nv
Increasing the senate representation on
the committee to 10. II was a .tuas
ton of procedure
senator Howard thought such a COM
mlttee would be unwie1dy. He would
not favor large senate either.
ne thought perhaps 80 senators
and 100 representative would be
enough He hoped that the jealousy of
the members from the southern part
OF the state might not defeat +he
reapportionment entirely.
senator Fuller essayed the role of
peacemaker. He did not think the
southern members should be blamed
Tor the defeat Of the 1893 bill. He voted
against it himself, because Of its IN
fairness. AS for the first district COM
plant, he thought the senator from
WabaSha mistaken as to there being
but one representative there Both
Basford and Kendall were from there
senator Barr moved to amend making
the committee, seven from each branch.
but later changed this so as to make
1t two from each congressional district
In each house. .a-
Senator Spencer said that, while his
district probably had more at stake
than any other, he would be will
ing to trust its fate to the fairness and
sense Of justice of any committee the
senate might name.
Senator Potter said his district had
$4,000 or $4,000 population and could lose
nothing under any apportionment that
approached fairness He supported the
Barr resolution
Senator McHale said it did not make
any difference to him.. His district had
only $4,000 population. or whereabouts.
and the district represented by the gem
tleman from st. Louis county. had
10000 or $4,000. While he thought his
people We're pretty good, he would rot
claim that they were the equivalent Of
Senator Spencer's district
Finally the resolution was sent back
with a small change, providing that the
committee shall consist of two members
from each congressional district in each
house.
The house committee will have TO he
reduced one, if this is accepted The
Sixth district has three on the house
committee as named, Ferris Staples
and Dare.
After the senate had acted on the
original resolution as It came from the
house, Senator Greer moved that the
committee, when organized, be in
structed, in numbering the districts, to
begin at Kittson county, instead Of at
Houston, as is the case under the old
systems. This was objected to in that
shape, but was changed to a resolution,
which went over a day under notice Of
debate.
While it makes no difference to any
one, it may be assumed, whether a