Evening star., 1898-08-02
INDIANA POLITICS
Compilations Over the Number of
Hold-Qver Senators.
EFFECT OF roo MU(H GERRYMhNDER
Both Parties ANo9ing to Secure
aMsjaity.
T URPIE's sUcC sOR

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
INDIANAPOLIS, July 81, 1898.
Indiana has political muddle on hand
that is likely to involve all political parties
cause lots of trouble to the politicians and
may involve the election of a successor to
Senator Turpie. The constitution provides
that the senate shall consist of fifty mem
bers, and no more, and that the terms of
one-half OF that number shall expire every
two years. This means that twenty five
senators shall be elected at each biennial
election. The constitution also provides
that in case Nof a vacancy occurring by
death or resignation, 1t shall be filled by an
election for the unexpired term. By
series of peculiar circumstances, at the
next meeting of the general assembly at
least f1fty-two persons will appear, claim
ing seats of right, and not through con-
tests, thus giving the senate two more
members than the constitution provides for.
This state Of affairs has been brought
about by the blundering of the last legisla-
ture.
Indiana is not the original home of the
gerrymander, that great political mon
strosfty, but it is the state where it has
been reduced to a science The constitution
provides that once every six years the state
shall be districted for Legislative purposes
1t also provides that every section of the
state shall have a representation in each
branch of the legislature. For many years
1t has been the custom of whatever polit-
ical party which happened to be in power
at the time of the periodical districting to
make up the districts so as to give the
party the greatest possible preponderance,
without regard to the rights of the people
Rto equal and fair representation. Thus, in
1888 the democrats Aerrymandered the
state so as to make it almost Impossible
under any circumstances for General Har-
rison to be elected to succeed himself in
the Senate.
Too Much Gerrymnnder.
In 1891 they again ''gerrymandered' to
suit themselves. The election of 1894 was
a landslide, and the republicans got in pow
er. Notwithstanding it was not the consti-
tutional time for redistricting they tried
their hands at a "gerrymander, and a beau
tiful specimen of the art did they concoct.
The democrats went te law, and the courts
overturned both the laws of 1891 and of 1896
The republicans then took a turn at the
courts, and asked that the law of 1885 be
overturned, hoping by this means to COM
pei Governor Matthews to call a special
session of the Legislature. The court, how
ever, was not obedient to the demands and
an election was held under the law of 1885.
The republicans won, and enacted a new
law. They seemed to be forgetful of sew
era1 things, and the result is a complication
which promises tesbe startling. In 1896 the
counties of Steuben and Lagrange COM
posed a senatorial district, and the counties
of DeKalb and Noble another. In the first
named district Newton W. Gilbert, repuh-
lican, was elected, and in the second Will
liam Fl. Nusbaum,, de1n6crat was chosen
They are both now. undet the provisions of
the constitution. 'hold-syers and entitled
to seats in the senate 81 Under the present
law Lagrange and Noble are thrown to-
gether. and Steubeu and DeKa1b. Under
ordinary circumst tances, this would not
amount to much, Except the people of No
BILE and Lagrange counties would be repre-
sented by persons, for whom they had no
opportunity to Vote, hit in this case the
complication is much worse Both senators
now live in one district-Gilbert living in
Steuben and Nusbaum in DeKalb. Thus
the new district has two senators when
by the law 1t is only entitled to one, and
the people of the Lagrange-Nobie district
have no senator. The constitution requires
that senator shall be resident of the
district which he represents. Neither Gil
bert nor Nusbaum is a resident of the
Lagrange-Noble district
Both parties have resolved to elect in this
district, and thus the senate will find
itself with an overplus Of members entitled
to seats. The constitution contemplates
that the people of every county shall have
an opportunity to vote for a senator oEce
every four years. In 1894 Union county
participated in the election of senator,
and under the constitution ought to par
ticipate in another this year. but has been
taken from It's old district and placed with
L. P. Newby, a hold-over. Thus Union
county will have no voice in choosing a
senator until 1900. The democrats realize
the fact that Union is. thus disfranchised
and deprived of its constitutional rights
and propose to hold an election in this dis.
trict. This will give the senate fifty-two
members, or two more than the constitu-
tional limit.
A Way Out of the Difficulty
1t would look as if the republicans, in
their extreme anxiety to strengthen their
party hold on the legislature, had bitten a
great mouthful out of the constitution.
Owing to the resignation of the senator
from Allen county. twenty-six senator's will
be legally chosen this year, but the dem
ocrats will vote for twenty-eight and the
republicans for twenty-seven, even they ad-
hitting the complca tions In the Lagrange
Noble district. They hope. however for
some way out of the difficulty. anticipating
the resignation of Senator Gilbert, who is
now with the army, but the senator has
shown no disposition to resign. If they
force him to resign on account of accepting
commission in the army. 1t will take Mr..
New Of this city out of the senate also.
This is a complicated question. The con-
Stitution forbids the holding of more than
one official position at the same time. In
1850 Gen. Harrison was elected reporter of
the supreme court for term of four years
Two years later he went into the army as
colonel of regiment The democrats held
that he had vacated his office, and elected
Mr.. Michael C. Kerr to the place The
courts held that Kerr had been legally
elected, and thus Harrison was deprived
OF his office. The same ruling would now
put both Gilbert and New out of the SEN
ate. This would reduce the republican hold
overs to seventeen, and as the result In
this county is very doubtful for next fall
prospect is opened up for q cutting down
Of the republican majority in the senate to
spch small number that the democrats
may be able to hold a majority on 1oiut
ballot thus electing successor to sena-or
Both Parties working Hard
Altogether the complications are grow
ing in interest, ard the republicans are be-
coming somewhat worried. Both parties
are bending all theiE energies to securing
majority in the legislature, and will paw
but little attention TO the election of state
officers, reserving their epergies in this di-
rectfon until 1900. sYhen "a governor IS to
be chosen. Except FROM 1889 to 1875, In
diana has never haa two, republican sena-
tors, and the party, WIN now do everything
possible to give Seuator Fairbanks a coli
league of his own peliticYI faith. The dem
ocrats, on the othey hand, are determined
to hold Turpie's seat f. possible. Tlrpie
may not be the man, and the probabilities
hot I,a r,,;ll p4f ho hDt