The Weekly Tallahasseean., 1900-07-19
DISTRICT
Sch Shoald Govern.
be AppOrti0fHept:
her new SUGGESTION

her new SUGGESTION
:5Toget her With = - analysis of +ssthea
PopnIatioE q ::
5 Editor M Ala Recently
the, Times nion Citizen offered
'a plan foT the territorial subdiE-:l
vision sef Be State. into three Con-.
gress;iions districts, as the census of
this xeaf 7Subtless, will show a suffi
cient increase of population to e4title,
!. tlaaiI1 TO another Congressman.
In inc over the Tines hion
and eh's plan of division, s was:
struck th the entire absence of any
principIe 81 bit was fodndeS
: 1t paYs no i ion to the pohthaI
exigencies go ings IN the forma-
ton Of the F9 sscond Districts.
It overlooked the seessity for ap-
proximoting, as near ossible, to
an equal divisiontsOf s68 white popu-
lation and giving il preponderance,
for reason too well known tore
ouire remark. It ignores the prime
= factor of equality of numbers and the
relation of colors. Intact, the genius
who parceled out the apportionments
of the new districts was, actuated, as
..he confessed, by sentiment favorable
to Congressman Davis, which is con-
spicuously absent in behalf Of Con-
sgressman Sparkman.
= The TimesUnion and Citizen
:. makes mp the proposed First District
:. out of the counties of Calhoun, Es-
Gambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Holmes,
Jackson from = which; that paper
drops $40 If the popuIation), Jeffer-
son, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madi-
son detected from the 2d), Santa
Rosa, Taylor, WakulIa, Walton and
= W ashington, all lying west 'ot the
: SuWanuee river. -
The foregoing counties contain a
totai population Of 157,69l; or,
whites, 79,462; blacks, 7S,229-a
close margin and an unnecessary one,
;as viii be next shown. II
The Times Union and Citizen gath.
.ers ,the following counties. into It's
t proposed Second District, Baker:
Z, bradford, ,Brevard, Clay, Columbia,
.Dade,l Duval, Hamilton, Lake, Mas
sau, Orange, Osceola, Putnam, st.
Iohns. Suwannee and Volusia. =
The above l6 counties contain a
total population of 16O,141; or, 93,-
: 8I3 whites and 66,328 blacks-quite
a distinguishing majority Of popula-
ton, and minority OF the colored ele-
ment.
But the Times Union and Citizen
shows still more plainly that it is
rage with the Jacksonville appropria.
ton fever, in its apportionment OF
the following 13 counties as its pro-
:, posed Third District: Alachua, Cit
rus, .DeSoto, fernando, Hillsbor-
ough. Lee, Levy, Manatee, Marion.
:. Monroe. Pasco, Polk and Sumter.
Z The last named counties cOntain-a
+. total population of 146,SO7, or.
whites, 95, ,2s2; blacks, 1881; max.
ing a difference of IL, ,SG population
in favor of the Second District. II
apy reason for this evident inequality.
if not designed unfairness, could be
given,, it might be overlooked. It
5;d not grow out of any difficulty in
making a lust and very nearly 'eqa|f
-,apportionment of population, g the b
three congressional Districts t9 .pe
formed.
A district is required to contain
1929 inhabitants. The censuso OF
i 1895 gave the population at 464, 900
One-third of this sum is 10000 II
round numbers. It is obvious tha
an equitable division of the populA
ton, with liberal preponderance
whites in each district, is the T. Il
principle to govern in the premiF
Each district should have as
$4,000 inhabitants as posi- lie,
especially observing that cond1 1bn.
This can easily be done; as, Fl in
Take Madison from the list
..;n;strict,. and add Levy and ttfhs]
which now belong to it,, this
ss';iI Give it a, total populi ibn Of
sss S6s: OF, $500 whiteT4, ,3O9I
p1asn Ssnnpose the Second Ikrict of
~ counties following: Baker,
Ia ssssadford, Clay, Colqmbl Duval,
RsIailton, Madison, NassL Orange,
s.5amy St. Johns, sqnnse Pa, and
sSsia. s These countiS e9ot CONTAIN :
III Ssgss, regulation Of LIS or,
s64 whites SO, ,21s "a RI. Sistr;ct an
- she new Ih1Tf Z wv WV