The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-07
LOWER ROUSE Of CONGRESS
question OF REAPPoRTIoNMEyT
II BEING DISCUSSED.
The recent Cessss showiss In
creased Population the Ratio OF
Representation Will he Likewise
r.creased-wfn he More Members

WASHINGTON. Nov. s.--The congress
10 be elected next Tuesday VIII De tne
last one to be chosen under the appor-
tIonment made under the eleventh census.
The new congress Will be caiied npo" ~
make q new apportionment under tne
tweifth census, which was taken last
Iune. the figures OF which have just oeeh
made public, Each congress makes tne
ratio for which each state shall nave
member Of the house OF representatives,
This figure, or ratio, is not estanlsneo
by law or precedent. but Is discre'ionars
with congress.
The frst congress was organised under
inc constitution, which fixed the ratio a.
5000. ana 80 gave each state represents
alive for every 300oo OF ats population.
and there were es members OF the mousse
This was IN 1859. Under the first census
(l7ss) the ratio was increased TO Ssv"'
ANA then there were 1g5 members IN the
house After each succeeding census ex-
repting the second the ratio was IN
creased. until under the eleventh census
Il required 17s.SU inhabitants 10 secure
one representative. But even under TINS
ratio the house now numbers 3SI mem
bers. and has long been considered too
large and unwieidy for rapid and satis-
factory handling.
Increaae os Ratio.
While, Of course the present house can
DO nothing in regard to fixing the ratio
OF apportIonment of the house under the
new census there has been considerable
discussion and talk about what should
ana what. will ~ done when the matter
comes up Manysof the older members.
who will undoubtedly be ru-elected, and
Will have something 70 say In regard to
the matter. have expressed themselves In
favor Of Increasing the ratio to 100000 or
even EO,000 or 100 900.
II depends greatly upon what the COM
piexion Of the NEXT house will be, whether
Republican or Democratic. as to what
viii be done. The Republicans certainly
will not want to place the ratio SO low
~ 70 allow n larger representation from
the South under the existing conditions
OF elections there; while II the Democrats
have control they VIII desire this very
thing. a. each increase in membership
in the house gives the state so favored
another vote In the electoral college
But m there does not seem to be much
doubt rs to tho Republicans eiecting n
majority In the next house. It II consid-
cred safe here to predict that the ratio
for apportionment win be placed AT or
near 200,000.
House ia Ne Larger.
The figures OF the census bureau make
the population Of the % states. on which
Is based the apportionment. at T.6z7. 907,
and. figuring on this population In the
states at ratio OF 100000 per representa-
tive. the house will be Increased by eight
cen members, and instead Of there being
5s7 members Of the house there will be
s7s This increase would be distributed
as follows; Arkansas, 4: Colorado, 1:
Connecticut l. Florida. L. Illinois, 2.
Louisiana. 1; Massachusetts I; Minnesota,
:: MISSISSIPPI 4 Missouri 1; New Jersey,
1: New York, q North Dakota. I; Penn
syivania. 2: Texas. 2; Washington, l,
and West Virginia l.
The following states would lose repre-
sentativesi Kansas, !; Maine, I; Nehras-
ka, !, and Virginia. I. The others would
hold their present representation.
The smaller states. Under the constitu-
ton. even n they have not the requisite
40 90 population. are entitled to one rep
reAentative and thus Nevada Wyoming.
Idaho and Delaware retain one member
II has always been the rule In making
up the apportionment that where a state
has, fractian over the exact population
OF tina ratio. and that fraction ia one-haif
or over the ratio. to give II a member
Thus, tho following state. viii hold their
avn; Ohio Indiana. Kentucky Maryland
Georgia, Alabama and Vermont.
Table Showing Cha nges.
The following Is the table made up on
the ratio OF zoo 600 showing the present
superintendent and the proposed new one:
New Con
Al pres- eress.
. emit under under