The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-25

binder who was travelling in his State
from point to another on horseback
TO fill his engagements met a man on the
road hauling barrel of water, that being
a section of the State where good water
from the wells springs is rather scarce
article. The silverite fell into convers arion
with the man with the barrel of water, and
as they were discussing the burning issues
of the campaign. the silver man spied a
goat I'm field by the roadside. He asked
the man with the water barrel what that
goat was worth. The reply was: about
two dollars
Well said the silverite, 'ff we get
free silver that goat will be worth four
dollars, twice as much as it is now.
"Y-a-s," drawled the man, land il l had
this barrel of water in Hades il would be
worth a thousand dollars at least
The silverite said nothing, but rode on,
thinking deeply.
Chairman Hopkins. of the House census
committee, is busiy engaged in getting into
shape a bill to apportion the representa-
tives among the various States. There are
two things that it is sought to avoid in
the preparation of measure of this char
ton Of any particular State, and the other,
any considerable increase in the member
ship OF the House. There are now 357
representatives in Congress. Unless the
ratio should be very much increased the
number of representatives would neces-
sarily become so large as to make the
House an unwieldy body: even as 1t is, the
membership is so large that the sessions
are conducted with considerable difficulty.
The present ratio of representation is 173,90i
If this ratio is continued il would in
crease the House by seventy-four, making
a total membership of 431. There are legis-
lative bodies of larger membership than
this, particularly the English House of
Commons. That body, however, does not
provide desks for its members, does
our House. Again, in the House of Com
mons there are not even benches enough
to accommodate the entire membership on
the floor at one time. When there is a
complete attendance the members overflow
into the galleries. This sort of thing
would hardly be tolerated in this country.
However, the plan of doing away with
| desks and providing benches for the men,
| hers to sit upon, and reading and waiting
| rooms to which they can retire when nee
| essary, has had many strong advocates.
| chief among whom was former Speaker
| Reed.
Ratios which have been talked of most
| heretofore range between 100000 and 100000.
| 1t is understood now, however, that the
| figure likely to be adopted as basis will
| be somewhere between $4,000 and $4,000.
| The former figure would not result in re-
| ducing the representation Of any State,
| but would increase the membership of the
/ House somewhere about forty. The latter
| number would give an increase of about
twenty members. and would reduce the
| representation of but one State, Nebraska.
| The idea of enforcing the fourteenth
| amendment. to the reduction of repre-
| sentation in those States where suffrage
| is denied to any citizen for any other cause
than crime, whereof the. citizen shall have
been duly convicted, by provisions attached
to the reapportionment bill has been aban-
doned 1t was recognized that an attempt
to tack this sort of legislation on the re-
| apportionment bill would result in the de-
| feat of that measure this winter. There
| fore, it will not be attempted. Nor, it is
| believed will any serious attempt be made
to secure legislation looking to the en-
forcement of the fourteenth amendment
| is another measure that is favored by a
good many Republicans, but which they
recognize they cannot take up at the ap-
| preaching session with any hope of final
action. EDWARD WRIGHT BRADY.