The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-22
rnr HoUsH or nrraBsnrr1r1rrs.
Prospect OF . Revival Of the old Dispute
over Its Membership.

ITnAmaUB OL - ENNN9 - N"2 VIZ y
over Its Membership.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2I.-In the apportionment
, Of the House OF Representatives following the
national census Of 1890 no attempt was made
TO readjust the number of Congressman among
the States by any reductions OF membership to
make up for the increase Of population In other
States during the ten years preceding. Instead.
an addition of thirty-one member was madeto
the House. then comprising 1876 members. and
the state which benefited most by the increase
was Nebraska IL secured three additional mem
bers, or double its former representation. while
Illinois, Minnesota. Pennsylvania and Texas
secured one additional member each. The
practical effect was to increase the number OF
Congressman from 1926 to 35o, and there has
since been a further addition OF n membe for
the State OF Utah, admitted Jan. 4. 1895.
Underline census of 1900, the preliminary de-
tails for which are engaging the consideration
OF Congress. an even larger increase in popula-
ton IL probable during the present decade
than was enumerated In the census OF 1890.
Should there be an addition OF membership on
the same basis. and to the same extent. the
total number OF Congressman in the popular
branch would reach 3SS. a cumbrous body OF
members. In the opinion Of leaders on both
sides. Under the apportionment made
in 1873. based upon the census OF
1870, the total number OF Representatives
was 293. and should IL be increased to
1893 or more the enlargement OF the House. al
ready great, would exceed reasonable limits.
Moreover. it would make the disparity in num-
bers between the House and the Senate still
more striking, for there are now but two Terri
tories seeking admission as States Arizona
and New Mexico. Nor is any considerable ad-
dition to the Senate probable during the period
Of the Congresses which shall be elected under
tho next apportionment.
Originally the House OF Representatives con-
sisted of sixty-fve members, and the first
ratio Of representation wns one member for
each 10000 inhabitants. Virginia had the
largest delegation and Massachusetts, had mora
than Ne York. The fret House had fewer
memb, . than this Senats has to-day. The
memb -aota was gradually increased and the
ratio enlarged until. in 1892. a population OF
10000 was required for u member. and the
total number Of Representatives ran up to 212.
1t is now 35I.
The explicit provision of the Constitution al
lotting to each STATE two Senators and two
only. has ohviated any chance for controversy
as TO the membership OF that body. The Sena-
tors being twice as many as the States. there
are now ninety Senator'S. As to Representa-
tives in the House, the Constitution directs
that a census shall be taken every tenth
year. and that after each census the basis
Of representation shall be fixed by the House
at so many inhabitants to each member, but
there is now no limit upon the total member
ship. and all efforts to regulate 1t by fixing such
a limit have been futile. In May, 1886, n law
was passed limiting to 233 the membership OF
the House. with the intention OF making the
Limitation permanent. though there were, by
the spportionment of 1852, 23S members in
the House. or five moro than ii was in
tended to have thereafter. subsequently
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