Kansas City daily journal., 1897-02-08
THE CITIES IN CONGRESS.
Result of the Hot Contest in the chief
Cities Over the Money Question.

Result of the Hot Contest in the Chief
Cities Over the Money Question.
From the New York Sun.
AS one of the results of the late pres
idential election, the cities of the Union
Will have larger and more influential
representation in the Fifty-tifth house OF
representatives, than in the present. There
We're by the last federal census, 3 7i5 towns
in the United States having more than
LOCO population each. but nearly two
thirds of these had less than 300 The
number of cities having over 5000 was
124, but since 1880 the voting population of
the big cities has Increased much more
rapidly than the voting population of the
country districts, and II larger represent
tation for the cities III congress is one
of the results.
In the Fifty-fourth congress. New York
has 8 representatives III the house, Chi
cago, I; Philadelphia, .; Brooklyn .; st.
Louis. 3; Boston, 2; baltimore, . San
Francisco, 2; Cincinnati, .: Cleveland, >:
Buffalo, =; New orleans, >; Pittsburg, l;
Detroit 2-one in the senate ard one Ill
the house; Milwaukee, > and Louisville.
St. Paul and Minneapolis. each.
In the next congress, though there has
been no re-divsion of districts anywhere.
the representation of the cities. with the
exception of New York, has been ncreas-
ed. or at least of the cities generally The
representation of New York remains nu-
mericalIy, as heretofore, though the SEN
ator-elect. Thomas c. Platt, is actually a
resident of that city, as was William NJ.
Evarts. the Republican succeeded by Sem
resentatives. ! in the senate and in the
house. Philadelphia will have represent
tativeS, l in the senate and . in the house.
Boston will have in the house members
instead of g and Cincinnati will have
representatives instead of =, ! in the SEN
ate and 2 i'll the house. indianapolis.
which has representative only now. will
have in the next congress St. Louis will
have representatives, San Francisco, =;
Brooklyn, .; Newark >: New Orleans 3,
instead of q Omaha .: Nashville 2; Den
Yer. 2; Baltimore, =, and Galveston and
Richmond, 1 each.
The next senate particularly will contain
larger proportion of city men" and u
smaller proportion of statesmen from the
rural districts than amy previous senate
Tor many years. When Benjamin Harri-
son, the last Republican president, began
his administration in March, 1889, the
F1fty-ilrst senate, over which Levi p.
Morton presided contained no represent
ntive of any one of these large cities. or
rather no resident of either of them: Phil
adelphia, Cincinnati. Brooklyn, Baltimore,
or Richmond. In the next senate all the
important cities of the country will be rep
resented by residents. and the number of
very small towns having members will be
largely diminished.
The increase in the voting population of
some of the cities of the country since
1892 has been remarkable, it showing IL
marked tendency of the voters OF the
country to congregate in. large cOmmunit-
ties, and, moreover. the avidty with which
newcomers, especially i'll the cities of the
tanned by naturalization. In the presiden-
tlal election of 1892 the total vote of Chi
cago was 100000 Last November 1t was
34iOVO, a gain of 10000 in four years. In
1892, the total vote of st. Louis was 10000;
in 1896 it was 127.0O0. a most remarkable
increase in four years for a city whicn
mas mad its natural expansion retarded
within this period by many obstacles. The
vote of the city of Philadelphia. 000O6 in
1892. was 243,000 at the recent election. a
gain of 20 per cent in four years. The
vote of San Francisco increased from 55-
600 in 1892 to $1,000 in 1895. The vote of
Cleveland increased from 10000 to 60,0O0
of Milwaukee, from $4,000 TO nearly 10000
and these changes occurred not only in
the large cities of the West and South
west. but in New York and some Eastern
cities also. The total vote of Buffalo in
1892 was $1,000. In 1896 it was over G0.O00
In 1892 Brooklyn's vote was 175.OOO If We
include the country towns since annexed
In 1876 1t was nearly 2UD.000. Rochester
gave 2s,00O in 1899 and 3I,OUO in 1896. The
proporuonate increase in the minor cities
OF the Union, and especially those of the
Middle states. was similar, and the great
er representation of the cities in congress
Is no more than responsive to the increase
OF these cities in voting population.
me influence of city members in con-
gress Is usually of conservative and
restraining character. They do not come
to Washington embued with wild and ex-
travagant notions and seeking to make
pfecipitately and sensationally cheap pop
ularity at home. The city congressman
usually recognizes that his first term is
to be a political apprenticeship. during
Whlch he may hope to acquire some valu-
able knowledge of the manner of conduct
ing public business. to extend his acquaint-
ance among his associates, and thereby be
aple 10 exercise on committees and else
where Influence which will be beneficial TO
his constituents and may, perhaps, make
easier his denomination and election to IL
second term, when he can seek the dis
tinction, which is usually withheld from.
q new member, except in very rare cases
The typical crossroads statesman who ar
N ligIE. IN NtN,srt
heVe that the eyes of his district are up
on him. and upon him constantly lie
1eels that he must justify the confidence
of those who voted for him by doing some
thing desperate or daring and he begins
forthwith to introduce bills which have no
chance of consideration, and in support of
which he makes for home distribution
one or more futile motions or sDeeches
Another restraining influence upon the
members OF congress who hail from cities
Is the influence of the local newsnannrS
These newspapers in the large cities are
daily papers of extensive influence and
circulation. Their influence usually is
favorable.
The great majority of the voters or tbe
united States live in country districts, not
In large cities or towns. The total vote
at the recent election exceeded 14OOO,N0O.
Less than 4O0O,OOO of these voters were res
idents of cities having 25OOO popuIation or
upward, and fully 10000,000 electors were
r.esldents OF minor towns and villages, par
ticularly in the South. where cities are
rev. The increase in city membership i'm
the next congress is considerable but If
IS not as large, relatively, as the increase
IN the Influence of city members, for by
reason OF the greater experience of these
congressman, they will in the allotment of
Gomplttee appointments exercise even
Greater influence than is shown by their
increased number.
Death Penalty in the United States.
From Harper's Weekly.
Ihe bill introduced by. Representative N
M Curtis. of New York. Ito reduce the
cases in which l,hnnJf,y of 1a,ti, -