Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-21
Bearing Upon the Control Of the
House Of Representatives.
GREAT GROWTH OF LARGE CITIES
Changes That May Be Made in
New Apportionment.
RE SUITS ON RITES

has been making q study of the census re-
| turns and finds in them some features that
are destined to have an important bearing
| upon future contests for control of the
House of Representatives. Speaking of the
| subject to Star representative, he said:
''One result of the forthcoming reappor-
tionment of congressional districts which
| has been revealed by the announcement 81
| the population Of Greater New York is
| that the cities are going to gain greatly at
| the expense Of the country. The popuIa-
| ton of New York city is slightly above
100000. This would give 1t upon a basis
| of 100000 people to a congressional district
| seventeen representatives in the national
house. 1t now has, with all of Long Is
! land included, fifteen districts. and a part
| Of the sixteenth, or about fifteen districts
| net. were the municipal lines made to con-
| form with the congressional. And this is
| on the basis of .901 people to a district.
| If New York on the present ratio of repre-
! sentation has fifteen districts, and by
| greatly increased ratio would have seven
| teen districts, IT Is evident that the rural
regions of the country will take a relatively
smaller part than now in subsequent
Houses of Representatives, Chicago's re-
turns tell the same story. 1t now has from
four and a half to five districts net or
seven districts with outlying towns includ-
ed According to the present census, I'M
official returns, the city has about 1,1b,oH
people, which would entitle 1t on the new
ratio proposed to eight and a half districts
instead. The result relatively speaking
would be the same whatever the ratio
taken: 2o0,RH is here used for it's conven-
fence in reckoning, and because 1t doubtless
approximates the figure that will actually
be chosen.
Effect Upon Party Results.
"Nor is it improbable that this showing
of New York and Chicago is unlike that of
he ut ber nf They
are all growing much faster than the
rural regions that in the cutting up of the
state into congressional districts they are
sure to get greatly increased proportion
of the result. And this will have very de-
cided bearing upon the strength of politi-
cal parties. The great cities, more than the
country. tend to be democratic, although
Philadelphia and Cleveland are notable eX
ceptfons in the north and st. Louis in the
south The larger foreign vote in the cities,
and the further fact that republican state
legislatures often exercise a bantering
control over the city governments, contri-
butte to this result. Since the republicans
find 1t now very hard to carry the House
of Representatives with the solid south and
the large cities of the north against them,
ii is obvious that their task will be con-
sideraby harder when the representation
of the cities Is made still greater.
Relative Growth of Sections.
amy discussion of the relative growth of
the severa. states and its effect upon rep
resentation is now profitless, with the
tual returns near at hand. 1t is general
ly assumed. however, that the west has
continued to grow faster than the east,
and the north slightly faster than the
south, although in this latter point the in
fiux of cotton manufacturing into that sec
ton may prevent a repetition of past eX-
Derences. Between 1850 and 1880 the in
crease in population throughout the coun-
bout ant no rat "a ~
north Atlantic section was - per cent in
the south Atlantic. from Delaware to Flor
ida IL per cent; in the north central, Ohio
to Kansas, % per cent; in the south CEN
trial. Kentucky To Texas. 81 per cent; while
the far west increased ~ per cent. Were
population to follow these general lines
again the new apportionment would be
more favorable to the republicans than be-
fore. except in So far as the transfer Of
strength from the rural regions to the
great cities operated against them
"Rut It is a narrow view of these great
tendencies of American growth to consider
them in the light of party advantage.
There are. 10 he sure. certain social and
economic revelations. of which perhaps
party divisions furnish some signs that are
worthy Of study. The cities. for example.
regardless of their party preferences, are
much more mercurial in their opinions
than the country districts. In any great
tidal wave they move further one way or
the other: this is probably due to their
quicker social life and the greater influence
of the independent press In contrasting cleo
ton returns in 1852 with those of 1895 it
seems as If many of the rural regions
were unaware of the transformation that
had come over the democratic party, while
in the cities the oTerturn was tremendous.
Indiana is a state without any city of the
first rank. and the two parties pull there
very evenly. without much regard to the
issues fer which they stand. In New York
city. Chicago and Boston. on the other
hand. the revusions Of party feeling are
very great. as was shown in 1896. The in
creasing strength of city representation in
the national house is thus likely to infuse
an element of great uncertainty into the
congressional campaigns of the future. 1t
Congressman Cannon's reply to me
the other day. when asked concerning the
political prospects of Illinois: Tell me what
Cook county is going to do
The New Appointment.
Little thought has, yet been given to
the new apportionment. 1t is generally
taken for granted that the ratio will be
fixed at about 900 900, which is in round
numbers. six times the ratio adopted after
our first census. With a total population
of 7:.OOO.GG0 Exclusive of the territories)
that ratio would fill 80 congressional
seats, to say nothing of the increase by
the admission of new states. There are
now soI seats in the House. the apportion-
ment of 1880 providing for 356 and Utah
supplying the remaining one. While theo-
retically almost everyone would agree that
the House is plenty large enough now. and
that it's membership should not be in
creased even from :s57 to 375. the chances
of Congress doing less for itself than that
very small. Ten years ago such a
ratio was selected would leave Vermont,
which had increased in population but four
one-hundredths of one per cent, in posses
sion of what would entitle Ii to two dis
tricts. Nevada had declined In popula--
ton but ii had but one district before
I no loss was possible In this way all the
changes in the quotas of states were in
the direction of increases. This Is much
less embarras sing to members of the House
than when the slow-growing states are cut
down in representation, as has sometimes
been done, in which case two sitting mem
bers often have to scramble for the same
district. Sometimes the local gerrymander,
however. produces this perplexity.
whether 2tW.000 ratio would leave
every state now having two representatives
or more with less than it's present quota
cannot be determined until the figures are
all in. Massachusetts, il it held the same
rate of growth that was exhibited between
1850 and 1885, when the state census was
taken, would undoubtedly get an addi-
uonal district at that ratio, for it's popu-
lation would run close to 2.S00o00 Wash
ington state in the decade between 1880 and
1880 increased its population 3f5 per cent,
growing from $4,000 to 3500o0 1t went