The times., 1900-12-27

| One Of the first and most important mea-
| sures to be taken up by the House after
| the recess will be tie Hopkins bill, pro-
viding for the reapportionment of repre-
| sentation in Congress on the basis Of the
count of population in 1900. 1t is now
| confidently stated by the Republican lead
ers that the measure will be passed despite
the opposition to be met with. The enact
ment of the bill will cause the member
ship of the House to remain at 357 and
will fix the numerical standing of the cleo
toral college for the next ten years
AS the Hopkins measure reduces the rep
resentation Of Indiana, Kansas. Kentucky,
Maine. Nebraska, Ohio, South Carolina, and
Virginia by one Representative bitter
fight will be waged by the delegations from
those States. but as the Census Committee
has favorably reported the bill. it will, as
the leaders predict. undoubtedly be adopt
ed in the face of storm of protest.
Representative Crumpacker proposes to
bring up substitute for the Hopkins bill
and believes that his measure will prove
more popular and receive more votes than
the other. In this bill he proposes to re-
duce representation of louisiana Mis-
sissippi, South Carolina, and North Caro-
lima; in short. those States which have
restricted suffrage. The intention is said
to be a scheme to inject sectional and
partisan debate by insisting that only
the Southern representation be cut
In defence of his proposition Mr.. Crum-
packer has issued a statement in which
he claims that the South should suffer
for the Acknowledgement of citizens" He
quotes section of the fourteenth amend
ment. which provides that 'if the male
citizens Of any State are disfranchised,
except for participation in rebellion or
other crime, the basis of representation
shall be reduced He then states that
there is not a member of Congress who
does not know that the States whose rep
resentation it is intended to reduce have
disfranchised a sufficient number of male
citizens twenty-one years of age to deprive
them of several Representatives whom
they would be entitled to otherwise
THE Hopkins bill ignores that feature
of the apportionment scheme and nulli-
fies the expressed mandate of the Con-
stitutioD. Each member took a solemn
oath to support the whole of the Consti-
tuition. There has been a controversy as
to whether the Constitution followed the
flag into Porto Rico, but no one has ever
doubted that it followed the flag into
Louisiana, the Carolinas, and Missis-
sippi."
lne tendency has ever been TO increase
the membership of the House and the
electoral college at each decennial reap
portiorment. On but one occasion was
there a departure from this rule-in
1S30-when the membership was 240 and
was cut down to 223. The Republican
leaders in the House are of the opinion |
that the membership cannot be profitahly
put beyond the existing figure.
1t was pointed sut by a Senator yes
terday that the House OF Representatives
has smaller membership than is in the |
popular branch OF the great European ma
tiGnai legislatures. The House OF Com |
mons has $40 members the French Cham
Der of Deputies has 5S5 ard the German |
Rechstag has s97, as compared with 357 |
for the American Chamber The Senator |
added. however. that the daily attendance |
is larger in the American body than in
any of the others.