The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-12-02
A GAIN o. THIRTEEN SALT GOES SOARINGI
Next Legislature win Consist
OF oeYenty-Six Members.
SALT LAKE GAINS FIVE
NEW APPoRTToNzFvN1, 4rNDFR
The FEDARA4 CENSUS.

Probably the most 1ooo,tant busi
ness in the way of Iahg making that
is TO come before the Anrth l-tah leg
islature viii De the acknowledgements
and redistrictng OF the state under a
mandatory provision ofAthe constitu-
ton. Few members-elees or hoIdover
senator's have given this matter any
attention for the reasoF- 1at they did
not know of its existe-ace
If the ratio of apr .ortionhent adopt
ed by the framerr, of the constitution
is continued in force By TIM incoming
legislature, tb1re will be an Increase of
eight representative and five senators.
This would make the entire body con-
tain seyentY-six members. = against
siXJy-Lhree now, oF twenty-taree SEN
atOrs ana fifty-Three representatives
BY the Terms agreed on at The con-
StiUutiOnaI convention one REPRESENTA-
tive was allotted 20 each couuEy as a
starter Then one additional repre-
/ sentative Vvas granted for each 6, 600 or
major traction OF population ever the
first 5000. Senators were allo ted on
d basis of 12,o00 OF major fractiolt The
legislature has the power to Increase
or diminish the basis of appointment.
provided that the entire strength of
D
senators and sixty representative.
Counties That Gain.
Should the present basis remain in
| force. Salt Lake would be the heaviest
/ gamer. The 1900 census gives this
county 7l,I25. Thus gain would be
made here of two senators and three
4 representatives Utah county, with its
32,456 population, viii gain one senator
and one representative. Cache gains a
senator, and SO does the Twelfth SEN
atOrial district. consisting of Emery,
Carbon Grand, Umtah and san Juan
counties. This win make necessary d
reimbursement OF senatorial districts.
Counties outside of salt Lake and
Utah which g2fn a representative are
Sanpete, Box Elder, Juab and Summit,
Z one each.
Division of Count,
In the discussion which has arisen
among those who know that the APP
pOrtiOnment must be made. there is a
decided sentiment in favor of dividing
the larger counties. such as Salt Lake.
+ Weber Utah, Cache and Sanpete. into
I legislative and senatorial districts. 1t
( is pointed out that under the present
( system a good, big minority Of the vOt-
Ing population is practically disfran-
chjzed.
For instance. if either party gets d
. III dt1HL Ma JDftlN OF lVV ia SAT- LANE
county, the party that wins gets nj
Z teen votes in legislature. Possibly
1000 or more people have voted the
/ other ticket. but they are given no
| voice whatever in the making of the
( laws under which they are TO live
/ Tt is argued that if the voting was
! done by districts. the legislators would
J be nearer their constituents and the
I representa- ton would be much more in
/ accord with the popular Will. This plan
/ is in operation in d great many states,
/ and it has always proven satisfactory.
/ It's friends think that if it should be
{ adopted here il could not possibly work
/ a hardship on anybody. but would re-
/ suit in the greatest good to the great
] est number.
/ The constitution also provides that
/ a state census shall be taken in 1909
/ and every ten years thereafter and the
] legislature TeappOTuOned every five
1 years. using the state census and
/ federal census as the basis alternately