The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-19
size OF the House.


The house committee on census. which
has charge OF the matter of congressional
reapportionment. has decided that in its
opinion the house should not have It's
present membership increased. 1t now
consists OF ISL representatives. the appor-
tionment according to the census OF 1880
allowing one congressman for every i7a,soi
people
The ratio OF today Is far In excess of that
Of one hundred years ago. when. accord
ing to the census OF 1900, a congressman
was allotted to every 5000 people. The
house was then smaller. but 1t is doubt
full II congressman In the old days was
N as close touch with hts 1900 constitu-
ents an Is the congressman Of today with
the 17asoi people he is supposed to repre-
sent. Railroads, steamboats,, the quick
dispatch Of mali matter and the telegraph
and telephone have revoutionIsed con-
gresham Of 1900 to keep close to the
thought and wishes Of his constituency
than 1t was for the representative at the
beginning Of tho century, when the means
Of intercommunication was limited and
Imperfect.
Originally. under the constitution, there
was one congressman for every $1,000 peo-
pie. The ratio was increased to $500 un-
der the census of 17p0 and It remained the
same under the census OF 1900. Since that
time 1t has increased with every decade.
The ratio In 1910 was IS 900: II was 1000 in
1890 47.70o in 1890; In 1870 It was 70.sso. in
1850 It had Increased to 1890; in 1860 to
IN, 3Rl In 1870 II was raised to 1871 AS. in
lsso to 1si.si2. and in 1880 to i7s.sol, the ex-
Eating ratio
While the ratio has been increasing. the
house itself has grown larger. In states
Of slow growth there has always been OBJ
lection to the ohliteration Of congressional
districts and decrease In the number
~ the states national Representatives. The
Instances by eniarginE the house member
ship until now II IL s5T II was increased
to SIS after the census of 1850 was taken,
and Il was thought even at that time that
the body had become too large and UNI
wieldy. This did not prevent another In
crease OF thirty members after the census
Of 1890 haa been taken. There are other
legislative or parliamentary bodies larger
than the lower house OF the American
congress, but the average OF attendance
n far below that at our national capital.
Tho British house of commons has a mem
hershtp nearly double that Of the house
Of representatives Of the United States
but 1t IL only ON rare occasions
that there IL anything like a full
attendance: in fact, the seating capa-
city of the house Of commons is not ampl,
TO meet the demands az one-half the mem.
bership. There Is little or no ahseuseelsu
at Washington, and a practically full at.
tendance ot members can generally b,
counted on. To preserve order expedit,
business aud give fair recognition 10 those
demanding II naturally becomes mere diff
scalt as ,he house membership decreases
n the IDEAS Of the census committees pre-
vail, the ratio for the next ten years vii
be over so.cs This viii hFing about /
decrease Ia the sise Of the delegation
from many states. and for that reason. q
likely TO create some opposition to tn,
plan Of having the house remain at u
present sixe The lesses viii be borne b
states In both East aud West, however
eammonwcalths as widely separated a
Maine and Nebraska being Obliged to sub
mis- 70 decrease IN the number Of thei
congressman. II will be a matter OF mic
calculation, and 1t is probable the rati
decided upon win be In the nature OF
eompromise whereby each state hopes I
retain all II can in the way OF votin
strength and influence,
Particular interest is felt by this stat