The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-03-24
DIG FIGHT IN OHIO.
This Falls Election May FIX Legis-
Iattve Control for Ten Years.

Politicians OF both parties in Ohio are
fully awake to the Importance or TINS
falls election and the influence that II
will have on control OF state politics lof
the first decade OF the next century IN
der the laws of Ohio the governor. secre-
tary OF state and auditor constitute
state board OF decennial apportionment.
upon which falls the duty OF fixing the
legislative districts after each federal CEN
sus for the next ten years. The next cen
sus will be taken in 1900 and the reao-
justment OF Legislative districts. both SEN
atorial and representative, VIII De mace
before the state election or 1871, therefore
II In an important thing TO secure contrei
OF the state board of decennial appor,ion-
ment This year a governor and auditor
are to be elected and next year secre-
tary of state. Whichever party elects the
two members OF the apportionment board
this year will hold control. should the
Democrats elect a governor and the Re-
publicans an auditor. as happened in 1889
they will have to fight for secretary OK
state in the election OF 1906
There have been four legislative appor-
tionments under the present constitution
Nobody ever undertook to question the
equity and fairness of those OF 1851. 1871
and ISL In iSSs tn. Republicans held
control of the board by eiecting state
Auditor Poe when the Democrats elected
Gov James f.. Campbell. They contin-
ued the preceding appointments. ex-
cepting that In the cases. OF senatorial dis
tricts, which had not sufficient popula-
ton for separate representation. two
were Joined This apportionment was ar
ranged by the present secretary Of state
Charles Kinney. then chief clerk to See
rotary OF State Dan J. Ryan. Mr.. Kin
ney presicted for his apporiionms that
under IL the Democrats would not elect
n majority of the state legislature IN the
next ten years. and his prediction has
been fulfilled. though last year. owing 10
TIRE fusion victory in Cincinnati the sem
ate was tied.
The Democrats realized then that Mr.
Kinney had Inexperienced them out of
control and they made a fight before tho
state supreme court, but without benefit
The court held that the power vested in
the apportiorment board was largely dis
cretieuary. and that there was no tusti-
fication fer judicial interference unless
the apportionment showed an utter dis
regard % the constitution which OF it
sels was very general In instruction and
left wide margin for the exercise OF the
gerryyuanderfrg Judgment Of party politi-
clans The Democrats had claimed that
the constitution contemplated an actual
reapp~orsionmens that IT, that there must
BE- such n changing % districts as TO seq
r.xefs. those which had been united and
rearranTe them into new conbiTa lions.
Had the supreme court supported them
In this IL would have beer difficult for the
Republicans to hav. made such a rear
ra:,gwrnent as would form nsw c1nlbIna-
,torS OF contiguous counties and still give
the Republicans such great margin for
protection against Just such emergencies
as that ~ lsss
should the Democrats control the state
board NJ decsg7nial appostienrnegst III 1910
the voters OF Ohio may hook fer such a
shaking UP ~ Legislative districts the
state has not known S;nce the adoption
az the constitution IL isss Chicago Rec
0rd.